Warming shelter planned for Woodstock Metra station

People heading into Chicago from the Woodstock Metra station soon will be able to stay in a warming center while waiting for the train.

Construction of a new warming shelter on the side of the tracks where inbound riders hop on the train is expected to start next year.

The city also touted the new warming center in a request for proposal for plans for the Die Cast site near the station.

An opening date for the shelter isn’t confirmed yet, City Manager Roscoe Stelford said, as the project depends on design completion and acquiring the property from Union Pacific. Metra is working on getting the site, and the city is handling the architectural and engineering work, which is funded through an agreement that the city has with Metra, Stelford said. He said both items are needed to “position” the proposal for construction.

“We’re hopeful that once the property is secured and the design finalized, Metra will be able to move the project forward,” Stelford said.

An agreement between Woodstock and Metra was signed in 2020 and amended in 2022, according to city documents. The project has hit unforeseen delays, including the discovery of a fiber-optic cable that needed to be relocated, city documents show.

Some delays have been related to coordinating with multiple agencies, including “property access and ownership matters with Union Pacific, as well as ensuring the project aligns with Metra’s capital planning process,” Stelford said.

Stelford said trains going into Chicago load on the other side of the tracks from the depot.

“So, passengers heading to Chicago are inconvenienced by the weather and other external conditions when waiting for the train,” Stelford said.

The City Council approved a maintenance agreement for the station without discussion Tuesday evening.

That agreement outlines what the city will be responsible for and what Metra will be responsible for. Woodstock will, among other tasks, handle janitorial maintenance of shelter floors and windows; make a seasonal schedule for hours of operation; maintain, repair or replace interior and exterior fixtures, including doors and windows; and manage snow removal and salting of sidewalks or ramps.

The council also voted to approve changes to a previous agreement. Among the updates are an increase of Metra funding for the project from $67,000 to $167,000. Stelford said the increased funding “aligns with the costs associated with the architecture, engineering and design fees for the consultant to complete the building plans. The city is managing the contract on behalf of Metra, but Metra is paying all associated costs.”

The maintenance agreement runs for 40 years, and the operating hours are tied to the train schedule, according to city documents.

Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said the current depot is on the outbound platform and isn’t convenient for riders. He said the new Woodstock shelter would be modeled after the one in Fox River Grove.

Metra is among the Chicago-area transit agencies staring down a $771 million budget hole next year. Agency leaders are preparing two budgets for next year, one of which is a doomsday scenario.

Metra also is working on a project to move its downtown Crystal Lake rail yard near Woodstock. The rail yard is expected to be just east of Lamb Road and where the tracks intersect with that road.