3 Union Station Platforms Closing For Repairs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Three platforms at Union Station have been closed for maintenance, forcing commuters to walk a bit further to get to their trains.
Falling concrete, rusting support beams, and dripping water have exposed commuters to risks – and, in some cases, injury – from the deteriorating conditions at Union Station.
After several lawsuits and years of delay, the long-awaited repairs have finally begun.
At 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Tracks No. 7 and 9 were closed for platform repairs until further notice. Track. No. 11 will be closed at 7 p.m. each night and reopen at 5:30 a.m. each day.
That means commuters can't board trains from the Madison Street entrance. Instead, they must either walk through an open platform to reach the north concourse; or use entrances at Adams, Canal, or Clinton streets.
Metra advised commuters to check the gate boards at the station before boarding their trains.
It's unclear how long the repairs will take.
Amtrak owns and runs Union Station, but six different public and government entities have responsibility for repairing different sections of the ceiling. Amtrak has sued some of those entities, including the city of Chicago, to try and force them to make needed repairs.
