Union Pacific announced the Route 31 underpass is scheduled to reopen to traffic Friday, August 16 after being shut down since March for the rail company’s Third Main Line project.
Once the underpass reopens, Union Pacific’s construction operations will shift west to Third Street starting Monday, August 19. The railroad crossing is anticipated to be closed for six weeks. All schedules are subject to change due to weather or construction delays.
With the Third Street railroad crossing closed, the official detour will direct motorists to use Route 31 to head north to State Street (Route 38) and west to Third Street. The detour will be reversed for drivers needing to bypass the tracks heading southbound.
Third Street north of the train tracks will remain open to downtown patrons and local traffic during the entire six-week construction period. The Third Street Commuter Parking Deck will continue to be accessible for commuters and visitors. Only the railroad crossing will be shut down for vehicles.
Pedestrians will be able to cross the tracks through the construction work zone, but that route has not been finalized by Union Pacific’s project team. The City will share the information on its website when it is made available.
Union Pacific began the Third Main Line project in 2022. The company is installing a third railroad line near the current UP-West railway tracks spanning from Peck Road in Geneva to West Chicago. Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2025.
The project also will require a temporary shutdown of the Western Avenue railroad crossing, tentatively slated to begin in early October after work is finished at Third Street. The closures are being staggered so only one crossing will be impacted at a given time.
Outside of the grade crossings, the contractor will be working on Saturdays throughout the remainder of the Third Main Line project to make up for lost time. Union Pacific hopes to reopen the Third Street commuter parking lots south of the train tracks in December.
The public can visit Notify Me on the City’s website to subscribe to future construction updates on our Pardon The Progress blog. For more project information, visit the Third Main Line construction web page.
