CHICAGO — Metra will receive a $17.8 million federal grant to replace an aging bridge near its Grayland station in Chicago, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced this week.
The project will replace a 120-year-old bridge over Milwaukee Avenue adjacent to the station on the Milwaukee North line. The route is also used by Amtrak’s Hiawatha and Empire Builder trains.
The grant is part of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program, which helps fund capital projects for publicly owned railroad assets, as well as improve intercity rail passenger performance.
“We are extremely grateful that our elected officials have shown us once again that they understand the value of Metra by helping us obtain the funding needed to improve our system,” Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a news release. “This project is crucial for increasing reliability and performance for our customers along the Milwaukee District North Line.”
Ray Lang, Amtrak senior director, state and local government affairs, added in the same release, “Amtrak trains use this bridge up to 16 times daily … and we gladly supported Metra’s grant application.”