A $13.1 million grant just secured from the federal government has brought total funding for an expected $121 million grade separation project on Grand Avenue in Elmwood Park to near the halfway mark.
The new grant is the second major contribution from the federal government, which also contributed $3.1 million a couple of years ago, said Andrew Mack, a spokesperson for the village.
“We were so excited when we got that $3.1 million, and this additional $13.1 million now,” he said. “You can feel the project moving forward.”
Elmwood Park village manager Paul Volpe said the additional $13.1 million may do more than just add funding for the Grand Gateway Project.
“I hope it provides momentum,” he said. “Success breeds success, and when other potential funding sources see what we are getting and understand the importance of this, it could be very good for this project.”
Volpe said that the Grand Avenue grade separation project was prompted by a 2005 accident in which 16 people were injured when a Metra train, traveling at 70 mph, struck six vehicles on the tracks, forcing them to collide with another 11 vehicles.
“It raised attention of how dangerous this particular crossing is,” Volpe said.
He said after completing its analysis, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a mandate to the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Commerce Commission to create a grade separation at this location.
The grade separation plan includes a viaduct that takes Grand Avenue underneath the railroad tracks, such as the one completed in 2011 on Grand Avenue to the west in Franklin Park. The grade separation in Elmwood Park is expected to run from approximately 76th to 78th Avenues, Volpe said.
“The tracks intersect at an 11-degree angle, so they’re practically parallel, and it’s an extremely long grade crossing, so what happens is traffic backs up routinely during peak periods,” he said. “Unfortunately, it’s rather common for cars to get stuck in between because there’s nowhere to go,” Volpe said.
He said he can see the crossing from this office window, giving him a regular first-hand look.
“Barely a day goes by when I don’t see a car get stuck inside the gates when they go down,” he said. “They may not be on the tracks, but we really don’t want any vehicles inside the gates.”
The project is expected to reduce traffic clogs, improve Metra reliability, and ensure commuters’ safety by eliminating the dangerous crossing at which 160 crashes took place from 2018 to 2022, according to information from the village.
The project development process has been divided into four segments: planning, preliminary engineering, contract planning and land acquisition, and construction. Planning has already taken place and preliminary engineering is underway and expected to be completed this year. The hope is that the underpass would be built over a two year period, from 2027-2029.
“Today, we take a significant step towards making this quality-of-life enhancement a reality,” Village President Angelo “Skip” Saviano said after notification of the latest grant. “Improved safety, less traffic congestion, and new opportunities for economic development are just some of the benefits that await us once the Grand Gateway Project comes to fruition.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
