Metra will be adjusting its Electric Line schedules from July 13 through July 20 toaccommodate construction work related to the South Shore Line’s service expansion.Though schedules will be adjusted, riders are advised to expect delays and to allow for extra travel time.
Construction is to begin Saturday, July 12 and end Sunday, July 21. On both Saturday,July 13, and Saturday, July 20, the Metra Electric Line will operate a Sunday schedule toreduce the number of trains in the construction zone.
During the week of July 15-19, midday service on the Blue Island Branch will beimpacted. Four midday inbound trains (Trains 226, 620, 624 and 628) and four middayoutbound trains (Trains 215, 617, 621, and 625) will be canceled. Inbound Blue Island Branchtrains 216, 218 and 220 and outbound trains 219, 223 and BX01 will operate as shuttlesbetween Kensington and Blue Island.
To allow connections for transfer between the shuttles and mainline trains at Kensington,trains 216, 218 and 220 will depart Blue Island 8 minutes earlier than the regular schedule.Outbound train BX01 is an added shuttle train to minimize gaps in service and provideconnections with mainline train 125. Mainline trains will also make extra stops at Kensingtonto 75th Street as well as 47th Street and 18th Street to accommodate riders.
Detailed schedules can be found at metra.com.
The project will add a fourth track between Millennium Station and 11th Place to accommodate the expansion of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’sSouth Shore Line train service and provide Metra with more operational flexibility. In May,NICTD expanded its schedule following the completion of a project to add 26.6 miles ofsecond track between Gary and Michigan City. NICTD is also expected to completeconstruction of the West Lake Corridor branch line between Hammond and Dyer this year, withservice currently scheduled to begin in 2025. NICTD has agreed to reimburse Metra up to $65million to cover the costs of the new track, including signal and electrical power upgrades.