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The CREATE Partners Receive $12.9 Million for

Pullman Junction Project

 

 

March 24, 2020 - Chicago - The CREATE partners received a $12.9 million federal grant for the Pullman Junction project in the south Chicago communities of Burnside and Cottage Grove Heights. This investment from the Federal Railroad Administration will improve rail safety and fluidity, and reduce congestion throughout the Chicago Terminal by constructing a second main track, improving existing rail track geometry, increasing operating speeds and upgrading signals and switches in the vicinity of Pullman Junction. A quarter of all US freight rail shipments move to, from, and through Chicago each year. These improvements will increase efficiency by removing bottlenecks and replacing outdated infrastructure that slows train movements and limits capacity.

 

"The Pullman Junction project has national impacts by addressing a major chokepoint and improving supply chain fluidity for goods moving through Chicago to markets across North America," said Ian Jefferies, President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. "This CRISI grant will pay dividends beyond Chicagoland to customers and families across the country who depend on the diverse products moved by rail."

 

The CRISI grant application for CREATE's Pullman Junction project was submitted by the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DOTH) on behalf of the CREATE partners, including the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Association of American Railroads (AAR). AAR represents ten of the freight, passenger, and commuter railroads serving the Chicago region. These railroads include freight carriers BNSF Railway, CN Railway, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Belt Railway of Chicago, and Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, as well as Amtrak and Metra.

 

This $12.9 million federal award leverages $6.5 million from IDOT and $6.5 million from AAR to complete construction of the Pullman Junction project.

 

"We are proud to collaborate with our partners to help secure this important grant and deliver yet another major piece of the CREATE Program," said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. "These investments will pay dividends for efficient transportation far into the future, while improving safety and quality of life throughout the state and the region."

 

"As the project sponsor and lead applicant, the County is proud to announce the CRISI grant award for the Pullman Junction project," Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President said. "This grant enables the implementation of more efficient train operations, which will reduce train idling and emissions, improving public health and air quality. Due to this project, the communities of Pullman, Burnside and Cottage Grove Heights will breathe easier."

 

Construction of the Pullman Junction project will lead to $172.8 million in benefits. This includes approximately $50 million in benefits related to increased safety, $60 million in reduced fuel usage and emissions for trucks, $3 million in reduced delay on the rail network, and $60 million from improved state of good repair for our nation's infrastructure.

 

"Investments in our railroad infrastructure create jobs and build on Chicago's status as a transportation hub for the nation," said Gia Biagi, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation. "This project will allow goods to flow more efficiently via rail, help reduce congestion and truck traffic on local roadways, and, importantly, improve air quality for Chicagoans, especially residents of Burnside, Cottage Grove Heights, and nearby communities."

 

The Pullman Junction project is a critical rail project on Chicago's East-West Corridor. The project is aligned with ongoing planning and construction activities elsewhere in the Chicago Terminal, including the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP), which received $132 million from the United States Department of Transportation's 2018 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. An average of nearly 100 trains travel the Chicago East-West Corridor daily. Furthermore, delays at these locations spread throughout the Chicago Terminal. By undertaking the Pullman Junction project and 75th St. CIP simultaneously, benefits from both projects are being maximized.

 

"The efficiencies resulting from this project support the movement of consumer goods to communities throughout the nation - growing our economy - as well as directly benefiting the neighboring communities with cleaner air, reduced delay at train crossings, improved economic development potential and a more fluid rail system," said John Friedmann, Vice President for Network Planning and Optimization at Norfolk Southern.

 

"This important investment will not only improve rail speed and reliability in Cook County, it will help keep passengers and drivers safe," said Senator Richard Durbin. "Senator Duckworth and I are proud to support this improvement project, and will continue advocating for strong investments in Illinois' transportation infrastructure."

 

"The congestion and delays caused by so many freight trains using the Pullman Junction each day aren't just incredibly aggravating for Illinoisans, they can cause ripple effects that slow down freight traffic-and economic growth-far beyond the Chicagoland area," said Senator Tammy Duckworth. "This critical funding will help relieve this bottleneck and help improve reliability and boost our economic development. Moving forward, I'll keep working with Senator Durbin and other members of the Illinois congressional delegation to promote infrastructure improvements across Chicagoland and the state of Illinois in order to bring back as much federal investment as possible."

 

To learn more about the CREATE Program's benefits and projects go to www.createprogram.org. 

 

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The CREATE Program is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership to improve the rail and roadway transportation network within the Chicago region through the completion of 70 interrelated infrastructure projects. The $4.6 billion CREATE Program is a partnership that includes U.S. Department of Transportation, State of Illinois, Cook County, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak and the nation's freight railroads. To date, 30 CREATE projects have been completed, with four more projects under construction and 17 in various stages of design.

 

 

Related:  CREATE Program Winter Newsletter 2017

 

 

 

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 3/25/20

 

 

CREATE partners receive CRISI grant for Pullman Junction project

 

 

The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) partners have received a $12.9 million federal grant for the Pullman Junction project in south Chicago.

 

The project will improve rail safety and fluidity, and reduce congestion throughout the Chicago Terminal by constructing a second main track, improving existing track geometry, increasing operating speeds and updating signals and switches in the junction, CREATE officials said in a press release.

 

The Federal Railroad Administration issued the grant through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program (CRISI).

 

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[CNJRoss]

10/5/22

 

 

 

Track Design Firm Selected by Norfolk Southern for CREATE Project EW3-Segment B

 

October 5, 2022 - The CREATE partners are pleased to announce Norfolk Southern has selected Benesch to provide final track design services for the CREATE Pullman Junction (Project EW3-Segment B ). This project to improve existing infrastructure is located near the intersection of South Stony Island Avenue and East 95^th Street in Chicago.

 

Benesch is anticipated to engineer additional track infrastructure along a two-mile segment from the Belt Railway Company of Chicago’s Commercial Yard near 9500 South Commercial Avenue to near 9500 South Stony Island Avenue. These improvements, including other track and signal changes, are intended to increase train speeds and improve operational flexibility for railroads.

 

The CREATE partners' commitment to creating economic opportunities in the surrounding neighborhoods is reflected in both the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal (30%) for this work, as well as the project elements in the Request for Proposals (RFP). The Benesch team includes five local DBE firms:

 

1.     American Surveying & Engineering

2.     2IM Group

3.     GSG Consultants

4.     Trinal

5.     Engineering Services Group

 

“Norfolk Southern is excited about the opportunity to work with Benesch and five local DBE firms to reduce congestion along one of Chicago’s most critical freight rail lines,” said Jeff Page, Engineer Planning for Norfolk Southern Design and Construction. “The infrastructure changes proposed will both allow for an increase in train speeds and greater operational flexibility throughout this important rail corridor.”

 

There will be additional opportunities for right-of-way acquisition, engineering, construction, and suppliers within the CREATE Program. DBE firms are encouraged to register through the CREATE website for email invitations to respond to bid opportunities for contracted work. All CREATE Program partner procurements will be sent through the CREATE procurement notification email. Notifications are also made through newspapers. 

 

To follow the CREATE Program, go to

www.createprogram.org

 

The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation, State of Illinois, Cook County, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak and the nation's largest freight railroads. A project of national significance, CREATE will invest billions in critically needed improvements to increase the efficiency of the region's passenger and freight rail infrastructure and enhance the quality of life for Chicago-area residents.

 

For more information, visit www.createprogram.org

or email info@createprogram.org.

 

CREATE Program | CTCO, 1501 S. Canal, Chicago, IL 60607

 

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NS Selects Construction Manager for CREATE Project’s Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement (EW3a)

 

June 13, 2024 – The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program partners are pleased to announce Norfolk Southern (NS) has selected TranSystems to provide construction management services for the CREATE Program’s Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement Project (EW3-Segment A). TranSystems will soon begin engineering and administrative management services and is expected to continue until construction of this fully funded, $37 million track and signal project is completed in 2027. The project is located in the vicinity of 9500 South Stony Island Avenue on Chicago’s south side and is the recipient of a Federal Railroad Administration CRISI grant award.

 

“NS looks forward to modernizing this heavily traveled railroad junction where three short line railroads (BRC, SCIH, and CRL) currently crisscross NS traffic,” said Jeff Page, NS Engineer Planning. “We believe the TranSystems team will rise to the occasion to both safely and efficiently progress construction of this complex infrastructure project, while minimizing operational disruption, over the course of an anticipated three-year construction timeline.”

 

The CREATE partners' commitment to creating economic opportunities in the project area is reflected in the 25% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal for these professional services, which is 5% over the original 20% commitment. The CREATE partners have made a concerted effort to provide opportunities for new subconsultant teams as reflected with the more than a dozen DBEs who networked with prime engineering consultants during the pre-proposal presentation held at Kennedy-King College in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.

 

The TranSystems’ team includes four local, Illinois DBE firms:

·      The Roderick Group, Inc. dba Ardmore Roderick – Construction Inspection & Survey

·      GSG Consultants, Inc. – Environmental Compliance

·      Interra, Inc. – Material Testing & Construction Inspection

·      Pin Point Precision, LLC – Construction Inspection & Public Outreach

 

There will be additional, hands-on opportunities for certified graduates of IDOT’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program to be mentored by the TranSystems’ team as part of this CM selection.

 

Future, biddable work for the construction segment of this project will include the installation of a 550-foot-long sound wall adjacent to a senior living residence as well as minor concrete bridge repairs to the railroad-owned Stony Island Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue viaducts. An RFP for this construction bid work is expected to be issued later in 2024.

 

There will be additional opportunities for right-of-way acquisition, engineering, construction, and supplier opportunities within the CREATE Program. DBE firms are encouraged to register through the CREATE website for email invitations to respond to bid opportunities for contracted work. All CREATE Program partner procurements will be sent through the CREATE procurement notification email. Notifications are also made through newspapers.

 

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The CREATE Program is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership to improve the rail and roadway transportation network within the Chicago region through the completion of 70 interrelated infrastructure projects. The CREATE Program is a partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Transportation, State of Illinois, Cook County, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak, the Association of American Railroads along with freight railroads BNSF, Belt Railway of Chicago, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian National, CSX, Indiana Harbor Belt, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific. The Program is designed to eliminate freight rail and motor vehicle bottlenecks, boost the economy of northeastern Illinois and improve the overall safety and environment of the region.

 

To date, 33 projects have been completed out of the 70 that are a part of the CREATE Program.

 

To follow the CREATE Program, visit www.createprogram.org.

 

Follow CREATE on Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter) and sign-up for our mailing lists to ensure you know when the latest, project updates, event information and procurement notices are available.

 

 

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 6/14/24

NS selects TranSystems for Pullman Junction CREATE project

 

The project is the recipient of an FRA CRISI grant award.

Photo – CREATE Program's Flickr account

 

Norfolk Southern Railway has selected TranSystems to provide construction management services for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program’s Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement Project, known as EW3-Segment A.

 

TranSystems will soon begin engineering and administrative management services, which are expected to continue until construction of the fully funded, $37 million track and signal project is completed in 2027. The TranSystems’ team includes four local firms.

 

The CREATE EW3 project calls for adding mainline track to provide additional capacity for trains waiting to access the NS Chicago Subdivision. Additional track and signal upgrades at Pullman Junction will provide greater flexibility and access to four existing mainline tracks west of the junction.

 

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[CNJRoss]

Railway Track and Structures, 6/14/24

 

Norfolk Southern Selects TranSystems for CREATE Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement Project

 

CHICAGO – CREATE Program partners announced Norfolk Southern selected TranSystems to provide construction management services for its Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement Project (EW3-Segment A).

 

According to the release from Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE), TranSystems will start engineering and administrative manage services until the project is finished in 2027. The $37 million track and signal project is located near South Stony Island Avenue on Chicago’s south side. The project received funds from the FRA CRISI grant.

 

TranSystem’s team includes four DBE firms in Illinois. They are: The Roderick Group, Inc. dba Ardmore Roderick (construction inspection & survey), GSG Consultants, Inc. (environmental compliance), Interra, Inc. (material testing & construction inspection), and Pin Point Precision, LLC (construction inspection & public outreach). 

 

In addition, CREATE reports there may be opportunities for certified graduates of IDOT’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program. More opportunities may be available for “right-of-way acquisition, engineering, construction, and supplier opportunities within the CREATE Program.”

 

 

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