Railroad company CSX will make repairs and improvements to an at-grade crossing in Evergreen Park beginning Monday, forcing detours on 95th Street just west of Western Avenue.
The repairs will close the crossing west of Maplewood Avenue on 95th Street beginning Monday and continuing until at least Sept. 2. A CSX spokesperson said in a news release the repairs are essential for ensuring the safety of both train operations and roadway traffic.
Evergreen Park Mayor Kelly Burke said residents can expect a detour route that officials hope will limit traffic disruptions.
Drivers will be directed south to 87th Street on either Kedzie Avenue and Western Avenue, according to a CSX spokesperson. Evergreen Park police Sgt. Victor Watts said drivers may also be directed to 103rd Street, 99th Street and 91st Street.
Burke said railroad crossing repairs in the village are fairly common with two major railroads running through Evergreen Park.
“It’s a routine maintenance that the railroad does when they rebuild the crossing. So every year there’s crossings that get redone,” Burke said.
While closing crossings is not ideal and contribute to traffic congestion, Watts urges people to be patient while the repairs are underway.
“We manage,” Watts said. “People have to be mindful, be patient. Unfortunately, repairs have to be done.”
The crossing lies on a main thoroughfare adjacent to a Walmart, Aldi, BP gas station, Mariano’s and other shopping centers with restaurants and retail stores. Pace bus stop 381 also lies directly before the tracks.
Near the Walmart parking lot on the east side of the railroad tracks, there is a digital sign letting passersby know the crossing will be closed for two weeks starting Monday.
Little Company of Mary Medical Center, the only hospital in Evergreen Park, is about a half mile from the crossing.
The crossing work, part of the company’s infrastructure maintenance program, will take up to two weeks, though any critical weather conditions could bring delays, according to CSX.
Maintenance crews will replace crossties and repave the asphalt to ensure a safe and smooth surface for drivers, officials said.
The 95th Street repairs are the last of three at-grade crossing improvement projects CSX is conducting as part of the company’s infrastructure maintenance program this summer, a company spokesperson said. The first project in Lansing was completed Aug. 1, and the 104th Street project, which began Aug. 5, is expected to finish by Aug. 19.
In October 2023, the railroad company made repairs to the 94th Street and Kedzie Avenue grade crossing that affected travel to District 124 schools. The Evergreen Park Police Department issued a recommended detour route for students traveling to Central Middle School and traffic disruptions affected arrival and dismissal times for two weeks, according to a notice posted by the school district.
For this work, the village will post notices on social media, the village website and have made announcements at public meetings, Burke said.
If members of the community have any concerns during construction, they can contact the CSX Public Safety Coordination Center at 800-232 – 0144.
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