Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
My vote goes for Blue Island. It's the only city to offer a sizable urban downtown, it has connections to Metra Electric and numerous CTA/Pace routes, and expressway access to the Tri-State and I-57 via 127th St. It's also midway between Joliet and Chicago. I'm glad to see that Blue Island officials are making their case.
Of course, the boneheads at IDOT will probably put it at Hickory Creek which offers easy access to I-80 drivers and subdivision dwellers and nobody else, with little hope of TOD or walkability ever. Sprawl uber alles.
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Blue Island-Vermont Street via FLICKR
I think
Blue Island-Vermont Street would be a strong choice. God knows that town could certainly use a boost. It's 1.3 miles from the 127th Street exit along I-57, and 3.5 miles from the 127th Street exit along I-294. 24 miles from Joliet-Union Station, 16 from Chicago.
Midlothian station via my poor photo skills
I recall that IDOT was particularly concerned about the proximity of the new station to the Tri-State Tollway. That would put
Midlothian in line as a contender. As part of the project to provide an interchange between I-294 and I-57, there will be a new partial interchange at 147th Street off the Tri-State(an exit from the southbound Tri-State to 147th and an on-ramp from 147th to the northbound Tri-State). That exit puts the Midlo Metra station only a mile to the west of the new exit. Anyone coming from I-57 can exit 147th and travel 1.5 miles to the station. The station would certainly need more parking as the lots are often just enough for Metra's current needs. I believe a small concession service is available inside the station. 22 miles from Joliet, 18 miles from Chicago.
Robbins station via my poor photo skills
Although not on the list, the
Robbins Metra station is nearly as close as Midlo. Located at 139th and Utica, it's about 1.5 miles from the new 147th Street exit. The unattended station and the adjacent parking lot are small. 23 miles from Joliet, 17 miles from Chicago.
Future Oak Forest station via Village of Oak Forest
Oak Forest is currently rebuilding their Metra station. They have what they call TOD, but is nothing but a CVS and a bank situated on outlots. The station is located 4 miles from either the 127th Street or the soon-to-be-opened 147th Street exit along I-294, and 1.5 miles west of the 159th Street exit along I-57. The intersection of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue can become terribly snarled, especially at rush hour. 20 miles from Joliet, 20 miles from Chicago.
Tinley Park has two stations they might push to get the Amtrak stop.
Tinley Park-Oak Park Avenue station via Village of Tinley Park
The station on Oak Park Avenue was rebuilt several years ago, with the hope of sparking TOD in their historic downtown area. A 167-unit, 6-story mixed-use apartment development, located just south of the Metra tracks, was scheduled to break ground this Spring, but hasn't yet. And plans for a large mixed-use condo complex, including a Classic Cinemas, located along the north side of the tracks, fell apart when the economy tanked. Plans also included tearing up much of the current parking at the station, expanding Zabrocki Plaza, and building a multi-story parking garage on the eastern portion of the station property. The village board still expresses the desire to get these projects done, and might see getting the stop as providing a catalyst. The station is located 3 miles west of the 167th Street exit along I-57, and 1.75 miles from the Harlem Ave. exit along I-80. The station has food service available from morning rush to early afternoon. 17 miles from Joliet, 23 miles from Chicago.
Tinley Park-80th Ave. station via Village of Tinley Park
The station on 80th Avenue just received a total rebuild, and is, by far, the largest of the potential stations. It has the largest available parking, around 2,200 spaces, and the lots are connected to the station and each other via a recently built pedestrian underpass. If IDOT wished to build any facilities specifically for the use of the Chicago-St. Louis route, it would have no trouble finding the space, as the station is immediately adjacent to the closed Tinley Park Mental Health Center and Howe Developmental Center - 280 acres of state-owned land. The village desperately wants that land developed, but asbestos issues on the site have pretty much driven all interested parties away. The site was most recently used by the U.S. Navy, to drill on urban warfare techniques. Morning food/coffee service has been available at the new station since January and will soon be expanding to include lunch and dinner options. The station is 1.3 miles from the Harlem Ave. exit along I-80, and 3 miles from the LaGrange Ave. exit. Neither Tinley station is anywhere near the Tri-State Tollway. 15 miles from Joliet, 25 miles from Chicago.
I have to wonder whether they hope getting the stop might bring extra business to the town's newly expanded convention center, which, by the way, will soon be hosting the Midwest Pole Dancing Championships. Get your tickets now.
Mokena has two stations. One, on Front Street near Wolf Road, is small and the parking is somewhat sparse and scattered across several lots. I found plans from 5 years ago that would expand parking availability and possibly build a larger station, but I've seen no forward movement on the project. It's 3.8 miles from the LaGrange Ave. exit along I-80. About 11 miles from Joliet, 29 miles from Chicago.
The Hickory Creek station, located 1.3 miles from the LaGrange Ave. exit, has plenty of parking, but the station is small and I've seen no plans to improve it. The area has a number of large commercial developments that are either empty, half-built, or have yet to put shovel to dirt. As
ardecila mentioned, there's nothing else around, save a townhome development and the Ozinga Redi-Mix concrete plant. About 13 miles from Joliet, 27 miles from Chicago.
New Lenox? Really? If you're going to drive all the way out to New Lenox, just keep going to Joliet, as you're only 6.5 miles from Joliet-Union Station.
It will be interesting to see what yardstick they use to determine the suitability of all the potential stations on the list. Could it possibly come down to which village can provide the most valuable inducements?
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