Rogers Park Metra Station Renovation Plans Build Up Steam

Accessibility and safety updates are planned for the Rogers Park Metra station at 7000 N. Ravenswood Ave, 1.2 miles northwest of The Lake Shore Campus. The renovations are funded by a $23.6 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Metra received the grant Jan. 10 after submitting an application containing a letter of support written by Ald. Maria Hadden (49th), according to Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis. The Rogers Park station services trains on Metra’s Union Pacific North line, which connects suburban North Shore communities to downtown Chicago.

The funding for this project was part of the DOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program, which allocated over $115 million to six projects in Illinois, according to a press release from Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Tammy Duckworth.

Gillis said Metra began working on designs for the renovations a little over a year ago. After designs are finalized, the existing station will be demolished and a new and improved station will be built from scratch. Metra’s renovation plans were first announced to the public during a community meeting in August 2022.

Gillis said the design process for station renovations can be lengthy. For instance, concept drawings of Metra’s planned renovation of the Van Buren Station, located at 132 E. Van Buren St., were created in 2022. However, designs aren’t anticipated to be finalized until early 2028, according to Metra’s website. 

During the 2022 meeting, which was attended by Metra representatives and staff members from the 49th Ward Office, residents expressed concerns about the adequacy of lighting, visibility, security cameras and landscaping. Some also expressed a desire for the installation of new bicycle racks, according to Gillis. Metra used this early feedback to construct design plans for the new station. 

“We’re talking about adding customer amenities that would make the station a lot more pleasant to use and a lot more easy to use,” Gillis said. “We’re making the station a lot more comfortable, a lot more welcoming, a lot more secure — all of which would benefit anyone using the facility, including college students.”

Gillis said the project’s construction timeline is uncertain and won’t be determined until Metra completes the designs and receives a co-signature from Union Pacific.

Metra is also legally subject to a review process by the Environmental Protection Agency, which requires Metra to prove the project complies with the Clean Air Act’s pollution standards, doesn’t divert vehicle traffic patterns or result in the removal of pedestrian parking, moderates operational noise levels and equally serves all riders — among other measures.  

Metra originally planned to begin construction this year. However, initial difficulties receiving the grants Metra applied for considerably delayed the construction timeline, according to 49th Ward Office Chief of Staff Leslie Perkins. Despite this, Perkins said the designs are on track to be finalized this year. 

During another community meeting Nov. 23, Metra representatives unveiled preliminary plans for the new station, according to Perkins. Via an online survey, community members submitted feedback on ways the design plans could be modified to better address visibility and better protect riders from inclement weather. 

To mitigate the latter of these issues, Metra is now investigating the placement and installation of shelters on the northbound and southbound sides of the station. No shelters currently exist on the platform. 

Perkins said she believes the ward office’s involvement in the planning process is essential for the project’s success.

“Alderpeople have the most intimate relationship with their neighborhood,” Perkins said. “They know the ins and outs. They know the constituents on a personal basis. They are walking the streets every day. They use the public transit options. So it’s pretty much common practice for an organization or entity to work with local elected officials.”

Perkins said the 49th Ward office will help Metra obtain more government funding if the need arises during the project’s development. 
Those who wish to express their opinions on renovations to a Metra station can attend Metra’s monthly virtual Board of Directors meetings and submit their concerns in the public comment form. The Board of Directors’ meeting schedule and public comment form can be found on Metra’s website.