Metra underpass connects Lombard's downtown, improves station safety

LOMBARD – Lombard's new Metra pedestrian underpass, which has been under construction for the last year, opened this week.

But the $9.7 million project is not yet finished, said the village's director of public works, Carl Goldsmith.

June 2 marked "the date of substantial completion," meaning the pedestrian tunnel is complete and open to commuters, but access to areas still under construction is limited, Goldsmith said. As of 9 a.m. June 3, the at-grade pedestrian crossing along the railroad tracks was removed.

The remaining work on the project involves the completion of the roof, concrete platform surfaces and the installation of additional LED lighting in the tunnel and security cameras at the Lombard Metra station at 20 S. Main St. Some decorative elements also will be added in the coming weeks, Goldsmith said.

Final completion is expected around Aug. 1.

The initial timeline for the project intended for the substantial completion mark to be hit by Feb. 27. But an extremely frigid February resulted in weather-related construction delays, in addition to some time lost due to the relocation of utilities, Goldsmith said.

"I think people were generally pleased to see that the work is at least to the point where they can utilize the improvement," said Goldsmith, who was at the station early June 3.

He said temporary signage will help guide commuters to where they need to go while the finishing touches on the project are completed.

Metra funded the vast majority of the project, Goldsmith said, and as far as he knows, it has remained on budget. The village pitched in about $300,000 for aesthetic upgrades, including bronze medallions that feature Lombard-themed designs and an anti-graffiti coating within the tunnel, among other improvements, he said.

Village funds also paid for the security cameras, Goldsmith said.

While no one looks forward to construction, he said, the pedestrian tunnel will offer safer access to the station for commuters and also will provide better connectivity between Lombard's downtown and its civic and historical areas.

Before construction began, Lombard Town Centre Executive Director Sarah Richardt said some businesses in the area were concerned the construction process may negatively impact their bottom lines.

But those fears never actually materialized into a real issue, she said.

"We've been pleasantly surprised on how little negative impact the construction has had on the local businesses," Richardt said.

She added the pedestrian underpass "already looks fabulous" despite the work still left to be done.

Richardt, like Goldsmith, also believes the tunnel will provide better connectivity within the community.

"I think the railroad is that barrier, and mentally people are like, 'I don't want to go over the tracks,'" she said. "Now, with (the pedestrian underpass), it is just such an easy walk, and it is broadening the downtown mentally."

Though improved safety for commuters was the number one priority driving this project, "business-wise there are all these other benefits we gain from it," Richardt said.

Like the businesses in the area, Goldsmith said commuters are similarly excited about the project coming to an end.

"I think a lot of people were anticipating this day and looking forward to it," he said.