CREATE Projects
The CREATE program will enhance the quality of life of Chicago-area residents by bringing critically needed rail improvements to communities throughout the region. The 70 projects include:
- 25 new roadway overpasses or underpasses at locations where traffic (auto, pedestrian, bicycle, bus) currently crosses railroad tracks at grade level
- 6 new rail overpasses or underpasses to separate passenger and freight train tracks
- 36 freight rail projects including extensive upgrades of tracks, switches and signal systems
- Viaduct improvement projects – improvements to existing viaducts in Chicago
- Grade crossing safety enhancements – improvements to existing railroad grade crossings throughout the region
- Common Operational Picture (COP) – integration of information from dispatch systems of all major railroads in the region into a single display
Most of the CREATE improvements are grouped along or near four rail corridors running through the Chicago region. Each project is named according to the corridor it lies along or its project category (grade separations and towers).
- Western Avenue Corridor – WA projects
- Beltway Corridor – B projects
- East West Corridor – EW projects
- Passenger Corridor – P projects
- Grade Separations – GS projects
- Towers - T projects
Proj. No. | Project Name | Location | Project Photos/Videos | Key Benefit† |
CP double & IHB connection |
Franklin Park |
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Reduces delays to commuter and freight trains and to motorists at nearby at-grade crossings. |
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Proviso 3rd Main |
Bellwood/Berkeley/ |
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Adds capacity for commuter and freight trains and increases pedestrian safety at stations. |
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Melrose connection |
Bellwood |
Adds capacity into and out of a major freight rail yard, and reduces delays on an adjacent freight railroad. |
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B4* |
TCS LaGrange to CP Hill |
LaGrange/LaGrange Park/McCook |
Adds capacity and reduces delays for freight trains, and reduces delay to motorists at nearby at-grade crossings. |
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B5* |
TCS LaGrange to CP Hill |
Bellwood/Broadview/ |
Adds capacity and reduces delays for freight trains, and reduces delay to motorists at nearby at-grade crossings. |
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McCook |
McCook |
Increases speed and capacity for freight trains, and reduces delay to intercity passenger trains. |
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TCS Argo to Canal |
Bedford
Park/ |
Increases freight train speed and reduces delay to intercity passenger trains where their paths cross. |
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B9** |
Argo |
Chicago/ |
Greatly increases freight train capacity and allows more evenly distributed train traffic throughout the regional rail network. |
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CP Francisco |
Alsip/Blue Island |
Adds capacity and reduces delays for freight trains through a major corridor. |
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TCS Blue Island |
Blue
Island/ |
Increases speed and capacity for freight trains, and reduces delay to intercity passenger trains where their paths cross. |
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Thornton Jct |
South Holland |
Creates a track connection that allows more evenly distributed freight train traffic throughout the regional rail network |
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Proj. No. |
Project Name |
Location |
Key Benefit† |
|
EW1** |
Argo |
Chicago/ |
Greatly increases freight train capacity and allows more evenly distributed train traffic throughout the regional rail network. |
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EW2*** |
80th Street |
Chicago |
Greatly increases freight and commuter train speed and capacity by removing the most severe rail bottleneck in the region; eliminates 9,000 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters. |
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Pullman Jct |
Chicago |
Adds capacity and reduces delay for freight trains through a major corridor. |
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CP 509 |
Chicago |
Increases freight train speeds and capacity through a connection, reducing main line delays. |
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Proj. No. |
Project Name |
Location |
Key Benefit† |
|
63rd St/Harlem Ave |
Chicago |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 17,600 vehicles (1,100 of which are delayed) and 192 CTA/Pace buses per day. This is a “911 Critical Crossing.” |
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Central Ave/54th St |
Chicago |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 23,200 vehicles (700 of which are delayed) per day. This is a “911 Critical Crossing.” |
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Morgan St/Pershing Road |
Chicago |
Reduces traffic delays by either eliminating a grade crossing or installing dynamic signage to direct motorists to use alternative routes when the crossing is blocked. |
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Central Ave |
Chicago
Ridge/ |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 20,000 vehicles (2,500 of which are delayed) per day. |
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Grand Ave |
Franklin Park |
Eliminates a grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for motorists and pedestrians. |
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25th Ave |
Melrose
Park/ |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 21,000 vehicles (5,000 of which are delayed) and 38 Pace buses per day. |
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Belmont Rd |
Downers Grove |
Eliminates grade crossing adjacent to a commuter train station, reducing congestion and improving safety for 20,000 vehicles (3,500 of which are delayed) per day. |
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5th Ave |
Maywood |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 6,600 vehicles (1,000 of which are delayed) and 66 Pace buses per day. |
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Archer Ave/Kenton Ave |
Chicago |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 18,000 vehicles (2,600 of which are delayed) and 259 CTA buses per day. This is a “911 Critical Crossing.” |
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47th St/East Ave |
LaGrange/ |
Eliminates two grade crossings, reducing congestion and improving safety for 12,000 vehicles (2,200 of which are delayed) per day. |
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Columbus Ave/Maplewood Ave |
Chicago |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 8,200 vehicles (1,200 of which are delayed) per day. This is a “911 Critical Crossing.” |
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1st Ave |
Maywood |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 29,000 vehicles (4,000 of which are delayed) per day. |
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31st St |
LaGrange Park |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 18,000 vehicles (2,400 of which are delayed) per day. |
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71st St |
Bridgeview |
Eliminates a grade crossing in a major industrial area adjacent to a 20,000-seat multipurpose stadium near the entrance to a major rail yard complex (which requires slow train movements and lengthy gate down times). |
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130th St/Torrence Ave |
Chicago |
Eliminates two grade crossings adjacent to a major assembly plant, reducing congestion and improving safety for 32,000 vehicles per day. This is a “911 Critical Crossing.” |
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Irving Park Rd |
Bensenville |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 37,000 vehicles (6,400 of which are delayed) and 31 Pace buses per day. |
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Western Ave |
Blue Island |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 9,000 vehicles (1,700 of which are delayed) and 80 Pace buses per day. |
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Harlem Ave |
Berwyn /Riverside |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 32,000 vehicles (6,300 of which are delayed) and 139 Pace buses per day. |
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GS19*** |
71st St/Bell Ave |
Chicago |
Eliminates a grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for motorists and pedestrians. |
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87th St/Rockwell St |
Chicago/ |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 32,000 vehicles (3,000 of which are delayed) and 193 CTA buses per day. |
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95th St/Eggleston Ave |
Chicago |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 27,500 vehicles (3,800 of which are delayed) and 885 CTA/Pace buses per day. This is a “911 Critical Crossing.” |
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115th St |
Alsip |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 13,600 vehicles (2,800 of which are delayed) per day. |
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Cottage Grove |
Dolton |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 15,300 vehicles (1,700 of which are delayed) per day. |
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Maple Ave |
Brookfield |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 12,000 vehicles (2,500 of which are delayed) per day. |
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Roosevelt Road |
West Chicago |
Eliminates grade crossing, reducing congestion and improving safety for 21,000vehicles (3,800 of which are delayed) per day. |
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Proj. No. |
Project Name |
Location |
Key Benefit† |
|
63rd & State |
Chicago |
Removes conflict point between commuter, passenger, and freight trains, eliminating 7,500 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters and Amtrak’s most severe delay point in the Midwest; also increases commuter track capacity for future service (see project P2). |
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P2*** |
74th Street |
Chicago |
Frees up space for increased intercity passenger rail trains at Chicago Union Station by shifting a growing commuter rail line to another downtown terminal that has spare capacity, eliminating 18,500 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters and increasing speed and capacity for all trains. |
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P3*** |
75th Street |
Chicago |
Takes a growing commuter rail route out of the path of freight trains, eliminating 5,000 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters. |
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Grand Crossing |
Chicago |
Provides a more direct routing for passenger trains from the south, shaving 10-15 minutes off of train schedules relative to current routing. |
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Brighton Park |
Chicago |
Removes conflict point between commuter, passenger, and freight trains, eliminating 4,500 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters and even greater delays for passenger trains. |
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Canal |
Summit |
Removes conflict point between commuter, passenger, and freight trains, eliminating 3,000 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters and even greater delays for passenger trains. |
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Chicago Ridge |
Chicago Ridge |
Removes conflict point between commuter and freight trains, eliminating 6,000 annual passenger hours of delay for commuters. |
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Proj. No. |
Project Name |
Location |
Key Benefit† |
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Ogden Jct. |
Chicago |
Increases freight and commuter train speed and capacity by modernizing train control system; reduces delays for commuter trains. |
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TCS Blue Island Sub |
Chicago |
Adds capacity, increases speed, and reduces delays for freight trains. |
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Ashland Ave. & CJ Mains |
Chicago |
Adds capacity, increases speed, and reduces delays for freight trains. |
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BNSF Horseshoe |
Chicago |
Provides new connection between major freight yards and main line tracks, adding capacity and reducing delays. |
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Corwith Tower |
Chicago |
Increases freight train speed, reliability, and capacity at the eastern terminal of the busiest transcontinental intermodal corridor in the U.S. |
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Brighton Park |
Chicago |
Provides new connection between freight train routes, adding capacity and reducing delays. |
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Blue Island Jct. |
Blue Island |
Improves a track connection that allows more evenly distributed freight train traffic throughout the regional rail network |
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Dolton Interlocking |
Chicago /Dolton/Riverdale |
Increases freight train speed and reduces delay at a point where multiple train paths cross. |
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Project Name |
Location |
Key Benefit† |
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Chicago and suburbs (Chicago Terminal District) |
Allows dispatchers to identify congestion and reroute trains in real time, improving operations for all 1,300 daily freight, commuter, and passenger trains in the region. |
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Chicago (various locations) |
Improved roadways, sidewalks, and curbs under railroad viaducts to enhance safety and security for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. |
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Suburbs (various locations) |
Improves motorist and pedestrian safety at grade crossings where a grade separation is infeasible or not currently planned. |
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T1–T12 | Towers | Various | Increases reliability of train operations at key crossings throughout the region, reducing commuter, passenger, and freight train delays. |
† |
For a detailed description of each project’s full benefits, please click on the link to view the corresponding project’s fact sheet. |
* |
Projects B4 and B5 are linked for the purposes of environmental review and design/construction. |
** |
Projects B9 and EW1 are linked for the purposes of environmental review and design/construction. |
*** |
Projects P2, P3, EW2, and GS19 are linked for the purposes of environmental review. |