Construction is underway soon for Chicago Union Station’s first “level boarding” platforms, serving multiple tracks and enabling boarding without ramps, stairs or lifts. The $112 million project will create a more accessible and streamlined experience for Amtrak passengers.
The 30-month project will convert dormant platforms originally built for mail and parcels into passenger platforms that will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, increase rail capacity, and enhance operational flexibility. These platforms were connected to a post office above these tracks until the post office was relocated.
The project includes a climate-controlled waiting area with restrooms and access for tracks 30 and higher. It will also provide critical interim capacity during future station modernization efforts, helping maintain passenger service while other platforms undergo reconstruction.
The work will be done through a design-bid-build delivery method and major construction work will begin by the end of this year.
Clark Construction is the General Contractor. WSP USA will continue in their role as Designer of Record, providing construction phase services. HNTB was awarded a Project Manager/Construction Manager contract and will provide management support through construction, embedded within Amtrak’s in-house Capital Delivery Department.
The project is funded by Congress through a $49.6 million FY22-23 Federal State Partnership Grant administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, $40 million in FY25 Federal Appropriations, and $22.4 million in local match contributions from Amtrak, City of Chicago, and Cook County. Amtrak and Illinois Department of Transportation were joint applicants for the federal grant.
Known internally as the Platform 30-38 Project, it is the first in the Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP) to advance to construction. CHIP is transforming regional and intercity passenger rail in the Midwest with critical investments in rail infrastructure, facilities, and Chicago Union Station. Learn more about CHIP here: https://amtraknewera.com/chip/
-via Press Release