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project overview

The Connect Franklin Park project is aimed at increasing safety, improving access, and addressing mobility that will connect the downtown to other areas of the Village and to the greater region.

The Village of Franklin Park has a total of five at-grade railroad crossings within the community. Frequent freight and commuter trains cause significant delays to traffic moving through the area, impacting commuter traffic, pedestrians, buses, emergency vehicles, and bicyclists. Train blockages can delay emergency vehicles and create unsafe conditions for pedestrians crossing the tracks.

In 2023, the Village received funding from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, Cook County and the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) for the initial engineering phase of the project. The Village will be working with the project team to complete preliminary engineering of the roadway underpass and pedestrian underpass and obtain approvals from various agencies.

Following completion of the study, the project will advance into the detailed engineering and property acquisition phase before construction begins. It is estimated that construction would begin by 2030 subject to the availability of funding.

project Schedule

Current Conditions

The project need is demonstrated by the high volume of freight and commuter rail traffic utilizing the east-west rail corridor bisecting the Village. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) notes an average of 102 trains per day, including 78 passenger trains, utilize the corridor. These operations frequently obstruct the five at-grade crossings, severing north-south access and causing significant delays for residents, commuters, and emergency services.

Additionally, freight trains are often observed idling along the rail line while awaiting clear operations at the CPKC Bensenville Yard - one of the largest intermodal freight facilities in the region - located one mile west of the Village’s Central Business District (CBD). The idling trains compound the congestion and access issues within the CBD. Delays adversely affect travel patterns, particularly for students attending East Leyden High School north of the railroad tracks, as well as other residents and commuters who rely on timely and safe passage across the rail corridor. In some cases, pedestrians have been observed making unsafe crossing decisions due to extended wait times.

Study location & recommended alignment

As part of initial public involvement efforts and agency coordination, the project team has determined that Martens Street is the best location for the underpass. The proposed underpass at Martens Street would go under the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Metra railroad tracks. An underpass at this location will improve safety and mobility for motorists and pedestrians, while also having the fewest impacts on surrounding properties.

STUDY AREA

Martens street recommended alignment

The project team has been working on how the new underpass will be designed. The have incorporated a multi-use path, as well as a retaining wall along Franklin Avenue. Traffic signals are proposed for the intersections at Chestnut Avenue, Schiller Boulevard, and Belmont Avenue. There is also an opportunity for green space at the corner of Martens Street and Franklin Avenue.

25th avenue pedestrian walkway under metra/cpkc

The project team evaluated the 25th Avenue walkway for over and under the railroad tracks. Based on the evaluation criteria, the Pedestrian Walkway Under is recommended due to a lower visual presence, fewer parking spaces would be removed (26 instead of 37), walkways under have shorter and fewer structural design elements. Additionally, construction would have less railroad service interruptions and maintenance is less than the walkway over.