EDGEWATER — Metra plans to construct a new commuter station on the Union Pacific North railway at Ravenswood and Peterson avenues, Metra officials confirmed Friday, Oct. 12.
The station will be the fourth stop on the line coming from Ogilivie Transportation Center in West Loop. As of now, non-express trains stop at Clyborn, Ravenswood and Rogers Park within the city. Since Metra was formed in 1984, it has not added a station to the line.
Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said the design and environmental impact study were commissioned in September and planning should take about 18 months.
"Construction would be expected to start sometime after that," Gillis wrote in an email, "but we don’t yet have an exact timetable."
Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) mentioned during an interview at his Town Hall Meeting at the Swedish American Museum on Oct. 10 that his office would have more information about the project in the coming weeks.
Metra began reconstruction of the Ravenswood station on Sept. 5 as part of a $215 million project to replace Union Pacific North bridges over 22 streets on the north side of the city, most of which are at least 100 years old, according to a press release.
Gillis said the new station would help to serve growing ridership in the area. Ravenswood is now the busiest station on the line.
