Changes are coming to 35th Street

If there were still housing projects on 35th, I would wonder if this project would have ever been given a red light. Even if it was a good idea. From today's Sun-Times...

A year and a half after plans were announced, construction is set to begin this summer on a Metra station serving U.S. Cellular Field and the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Metra is about to begin seeking contractors for the new stop, and spokeswoman Meg Reile said, "We should start seeing some action there later this year."

The station is supposed to open next year, serving Metra's Joliet-to-Chicago Rock Island District Line, connecting the La Salle Street station in the Loop with Joliet. But Metra officials hope ultimately to reroute the SouthWest Service Line tracks north of 55th Street onto the Rock Island Line, so both lines stop at 35th Street.

IIT donated half of the land needed for the stop and agreed to maintain the landscaping.

The inbound station platform is on the IIT campus, so Sox fans will have to walk under a viaduct to reach the stadium.

You know I have to admit though while Metra is talking about building new stations, there are some such as this one that needs an upgrade.