Metra Electric service to be impacted on 3 weekends due to work associated with South Shore Line expansion

CHICAGO — Metra Electric service will be impacted on three weekends in late October and early November due to construction work associated with the South Shore Line’s expansion plans, Metra said in a news release Monday.

The project is part of a $650 million expansion of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s South Shore service and is necessary to expand capacity north of 18th street to accommodate additional South Shore trains, according to the release.

The South Shore Line is an electric commuter rail line that operates between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, Indiana.

According to Metra, Sunday schedules on the Metra Electric Line will be in effect for the entire weekend of Oct. 25-26 and on Saturday, Nov. 1. On Sunday, Nov. 2, and on the weekend of Nov. 15-16, Sunday schedules will be in effect, and Metra and South Shore trains will terminate from the 18th Street Station, with buses replacing trains between Millennium Station and 18th St.

Here are further details, per Metra:

• The Metra Electric Line will operate a Sunday schedule on both Saturday and Sunday on the weekends of Oct. 25-26, Nov. 1-2 and Nov. 15-16. Schedules for the Metra Electric Line Sunday service can be found at metra.com (scroll down for the weekend schedule). South Shore Line trains will run on their usual weekend schedule.
• No trains will operate between the Millennium and 18th St. stations on Sunday, Nov. 2, and on the weekend of Nov. 15-16. The Van Buren Street and Museum Campus/11th Street stations will be closed on Nov. 2 and Nov. 15-16.
• Buses will shuttle riders via the McCormick Place busway between Millennium and 18th St. stations. The buses will not stop at Van Buren St. or Museum Campus/11th St.
• The shuttle buses cannot accommodate bicycles, and Metra recommends riders travel without heavy luggage.
• For ADA customers and customers who have difficulty using stairs, Pace Paratransit vehicles will shuttle riders via the McCormick Place busway between the Millennium and McCormick Place stations. These vehicles will not stop at the Van Buren St., Museum Campus or 18th St. stations.

Metra says customer service agents will be at the 18th St., Millennium and McCormick Place stations to help passengers safely transfer between trains and the buses.