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Metra To Break Ground On Edgewater Station Next Week After Decade Of Planning
Joe Ward
4:28 PM CDT on Oct 26, 2021

Most recently, work was slated to begin in May, but the Department of Water Management rejected Metra’s plans for environmentally friendly permeable pavers and green landscaping features.

The problem is the ground beneath the station holds city water mains, and the city’s Department of Water Management was worried about groundwater from the station leaking into the water mains, Metra officials said this spring when announcing the delay.

A new groundwater plan had to be submitted before work could move forward.

The station will be as long as six train cars. Its Downtown-bound platform will have a warming shelter, including an enclosed waiting area and an additional warming station. The northbound platform will have a warming station as well, Metra officials said at a public meeting Monday.

There will be 41 on-site parking spaces at the station, with the ability to add more spaces if needed. A pedestrian plaza will include a car turnaround for dropoffs and pickups.

Metra had sought to build a station in Edgewater to help meet transit demand throughout the North Side. Prior to the pandemic, Metra estimated it would see 650 daily boardings at the station.