Starting Monday, Third Street in Geneva will be closed for roughly six weeks at the railroad crossing near the Metra station as Union Pacific works on its West Line, officials said.
The official detour will direct motorists heading north to take Route 31 to State Street, which is Route 38, and west to Third Street, according to a news release from the city of Geneva. Officials said in the release that those heading south will be directed to take the reverse path.
Third Street north of the train tracks will be open during the entire six-week construction period, and so will the Third Street Commuter Parking Deck, the release said.
During the first four weeks of construction, pedestrian access across the tracks on Third Street will be limited. Only commuters will be allowed to cross from north of the tracks to the south to access the temporary train platform, officials said.
Pedestrian access from south to north will be closed from Monday until mid-September, the release said.
During the final two weeks of construction at Third Street, full pedestrian access will be available on the west side of Third Street only, officials said. According to the release, commuters should cross the roadway at Third Street and Route 31 to reach the temporary train platform.
In March, Union Pacific work crews closed down the nearby Route 31 underpass, but that underpass was scheduled to be reopened on Friday, officials said in the release.
The construction is a part of a larger project by Union Pacific to build a third railroad line from West Chicago through Geneva, according to a page on Geneva’s website about the project. The Third Main Line Project was started in 2022 and is expected to be completed by late 2024, the website says.
According to the website, the project hopes to smooth railroad traffic and reduce conflicts between the freight and Metra trains that share the line. The project is also expected to reduce wait times at railroad crossings, decrease both commuter and freight train delays, decrease the idling of freight trains, reduce train congestion and improve safety, a fact sheet about the project says.
The rail line is one of the busiest in the county, with more than 50 freight trains a day and 60 Metra trains carrying around 30,000 passengers daily, the fact sheet says.
City officials said in the release that the project also will require a temporary shutdown of the Western Avenue railroad crossing, which is tentatively set to begin in early October after work is finished at Third Street.
Union Pacific hopes to reopen the Third Street commuter parking lots south of the train tracks in December, according to the release.
For more project information, go to the city’s webpage about the Third Main Line Project at geneva.il.us/905/Union-Pacific-Third-Main-Line-Project