Metra Electric station, closed since 2023, to reopen, as nearby station closes for more work

Construction on Metra's Electric line will reshuffle station closures for riders in the Chatham, Roseland and Pullman neighborhoods, as construction continues along the line through the city's South Side and south suburbs.

The 79th Street station in Chatham, closed since summer 2023, will reopen Dec. 16. That same day, the nearby 87th Street station will close for construction. Just up the line, the 103rd Street station near Roseland will remain closed for several more months.

The three stations are being renovated as part of a $33.9 million contract that includes creating enclosed street-level entrances that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act; lobbies with elevators; new stairs and station houses; composite deck platforms; and new lighting and signs.

The Chatham and Roseland work is part of a broader plan to rebuild multiple stations on the Electric line and make them accessible to people with disabilities. A Harvey Metra station recently reopened after such work, and work is also underway at the Homewood station.

But Metra warned that although the construction at the 79th Street station made it fully accessible to people with disabilities, it might not be accessible at all times as it reopens. Construction at the nearby stations might require shifts in the tracks being used, which could change boarding procedures, especially in the hours between peak periods on weekdays

Work is continuing at the 103rd Street station, which is expected to reopen in spring 2025. The 87th Street station is set to reopen in late 2025, Metra said.

IHC Construction of Elgin is performing the work for the three stations. Though all three stations were part of the same construction package, Metra promised work would be phased so no more than two stations would be closed at a time.

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