Frequently Asked Questions

The study is designed to evaluate travel-time reliability and delay in Berwyn and Riverside at roadway/rail crossings at or near Harlem Ave, including Oak Park Avenue, Ridgeland Avenue, Delaplaine Road, Home Avenue, East Avenue and Grove Avenue, and railroad crossing safety for motorists, pedestrians, cyclist, transit users and truckers.

The area has been identified as one of 47 grade crossings prioritized for study or improvements in the Chicago region.  See Northeastern Illinois Priority Grade Crossings.

In addition, Harlem Avenue is identified as a grade crossing to be studied for separation as part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program. But in consultation with local communities, this project is looking at a broader study area to assure that the right crossing is improved.

Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) is a type of transportation planning study to link planning information directly to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process. A PEL study can include assessing the feasibility of projects and can determine whether there are feasible alternatives that satisfy the need for an improvement. To figure this out, the study will identify the project's purpose and need, identify and evaluate a range of alternatives to accomplish that goal, and estimate project costs. Agencies can achieve significant benefits from a PEL study including improved information sharing between agencies, reduction in the duplication of work between planning and NEPA, and an early opportunity for the public to provide meaningful input into the study.  

That depends on the results of the PEL study. Three possible paths forward include:

(1) The PEL study may recommend no action, in which case the crossings would continue to operate in their current configuration. 

(2) A transportation management improvement may be recommended, such as photo enforcement to deter motorists from disregarding regulatory signs and crossing warning devices. In this case, a grade separation cannot move forward to implementation.

(3)  If "build" alternatives are recommended to be carried forward, then the project would proceed to Phase I study, where detailed engineering can begin. The Phase I process would start where the PEL study left off, with the alternatives recommended for further study.   The outcomes of the PEL process inform Phase I and NEPA studies, leading to a more informed and streamlined process. The selection of a preferred alternative would occur during Phase I and NEPA studies.

For more detailed information about the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Project Process click here.  

CMAP and its consultant team are committed to meaningful public and stakeholder engagement for this project, to assure we understand the transportation issues and community values in the area and ask for your feedback throughout the process. As Illinois enters phase 5 of the pandemic response and local and state guidelines allow, we will conduct in-person public involvement opportunities. Additionally, we will continue to use virtual platforms such as this site to engage the public in the project and solicit input.

Highway-railroad grade crossings are points where a highway meets a railroad at-grade (on the same level). To avoid collisions, warning/control devices are required at grade crossings just like intersecting roads usually need stop signs or traffic signals.

Active Grade Crossings, such as highway-railroad crossings in the study area, have active warning and control devices such as bells, flashing lights, and gates, in addition to passive warning devices such as crossbucks (the familiar x-shaped signs that mean yield to the train), yield or stop signs and pavement markings. Passive Grade Crossings which are typically located on roads with low volumes of traffic have only passive warning devices.

A railroad grade separation eliminates the conflict between the roadway traffic and railway trains by eliminating the at-grade rail crossing.  To do this, the profile, or level, of one or both of the facilities is raised or lowered.  

Several options exist that would eliminate at-grade crossings or intersections. These include

- raising a road with a new bridge over the railroad.

- lowering a road with an underpass under the railroad.

- raising the railroad with an embankment over one or more study area roads.

- lowering the railroad with an underpass under one or more study area roads.

Sometimes, rather than separating all traffic, only some elements are separated.  For example, pedestrian traffic can be separated, leaving an at-grade crossing for motorists in place.  We expect to review pedestrian safety issues carefully.

Cost estimates have not yet been prepared, but rough estimates of cost will be developed for “build alternatives” recommended to be carried forward to future studies at a later point in the study. Planning level cost estimates will be shared with the public.

Transportation improvement projects are typically paid for with a mix of local, state and federal funding. Improvements involving a railroad sometimes include funding from the railroad owner or the Illinois Commerce Commission. Project funding options will be considered after the completion of the PEL study.

The maximum speed for trains is set at 79 mph.

In May, 2021, 93 trains were counted in 24 hours at Ridgeland Avenue, with 102 gate activations (including 12 false activations and 3 activations with multiple trains). 49 of these trains were passenger trains. In June, 2021, a 24-hour observation period at Harlem Avenue counted 84 trains, of which 55 were passenger trains. At Harlem, there were 92 gate activations, of which 13 were false activations.

The 2021 counts represent a substantial decline from previous years.  In 2018, there were 95 scheduled Metra revenue trains using the tracks, 11 Metra deadheads (empty trains being moved between locations), and 8 Amtrak trains.  CMAP estimated 54 freight trains per day in 2018, for a total of 168 trains each weekday.  Train volumes are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels over the course of several years.

The crossing closures are comprised of a system of activities starting with flashing warning lights, followed by gate closures, and then ultimately the passing of train through an at-grade crossing. In general terms, a passenger train is typically shorter and moves at higher rate of speed than a freight train. Gate-down times also depend on the location, since freight trains move slower near the Cicero rail yard and passenger trains move slower and stop at passenger stations.  See the table below for a summary of our observations of the length of time gates were lowered for each gate activation.

Summaries of observations of gate-down durations, selected BNSF crossings, 2011-2021.

Source: CMAP.  The data above excludes false activations.  The gate-down durations are given as minutes:seconds. CMAP completed 8-hour observations in 2011-13 and 24-hour observations in 2020-21.

There is also additional time required for the queue to clear after the gates go up.  At Harlem Avenue in 2011, this added more than a minute to delay for the average gate activation, with a maximum of more than three minutes.  

The following table summarizes the current (pre-pandemic) and forecast year-2050 traffic volumes (annual average daily traffic, or AADTs) for roads in the study area.

Summary of current traffic volumes and 2050 traffic forecasts, selected Berwyn and Riverside roads.

Source: IDOT (current volumes), CMAP (traffic forecasts)

The movements of freight trains are governed by federal laws. The State of Illinois used to have a law in effect to limit crossing blockages to 10 minutes. However, the law was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court because it conflicted with a federal law giving the Federal Railroad Administration authority to regulate rail safety.  Requiring a train to move when another regulation (e.g., crew service hours) required the train to stand was found to infringe on federal authority.  So, the law was overturned.

Taking a PEL approach often improves relationships and coordination with partner agencies and stakeholders, as the process affords an early opportunity for the assessment of project components and for meaningful input that is responsive to the community. Community and environmental data from available public records and coordination with resource and regulatory agencies will be part of the PEL decision-making process. Additionally, the study team will be working closely with the Village of Riverside and City of Berwyn.

Environmental impacts will be evaluated in greater detail during Phase I in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

The study team is aware of prior studies.  However, none of the previous studies followed federal procedures to prepare a purpose and need and other required documents, which are required to have subsequent engineering documents approved.  In addition, much of the previous work, dating from the 1940s to the 2000s, doesn't reflect current conditions.  Lastly, none of the previous studies developed a solution that had the clear support of the community.  The current study puts project development on a track that could lead to future construction, if a purpose and need is identified and if a feasible alternative is identified that addresses a purpose and need.

Coordination meetings will be held regularly with IDOT staff.  All of the major products of this PEL study will need IDOT concurrence.  Eventually, if there is construction, IDOT will let the project as part of its normal construction bid procedures.

Here is a summary of the railroad crossing crash record collected by the Federal Railroad Administration.

079487H Ridgeland Avenue

079488P East Avenue

One railroad employee was also injured.

079489W Oak Park Avenue

079490R Grove Avenue

079491X Home Avenue

079493L Harlem Avenue

079494T Delaplaine Avenue

Source: CMAP analysis of FRA data