Homewood Station Gets Metra's Attention

Small improvements to Homewood’s dilapidated Metra station might help put commuters at ease—for now. And more is in store for the 92-year-old station.

The Metra Board of Directors last week approved an $585,000 amendment to the agency’s 2015 capital program to fund design for a rehabilitation of the station.

The funding includes a $468,000 grant from the federal Surface Transportation Program, which was secured by Homewood through the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, and $117,000 in matching funds from the south suburban village.

Metra will use the funding to procure design and engineering services for a major station rehabilitation. Engineering work is expected to begin in 2016 and take about one year. The timeline for construction will depend on the engineering work and the availability of construction funding.

“This is the first step towards making the Homewood Metra Station as inviting and welcoming as the village of Homewood itself,” said Mayor Hofeld. “We look forward to not only carrying out the engineering work but also, hopefully, to securing state and federal funding to pay for the rehabilitation itself. The village is very committed to this project—we want to get it done.”

In the meantime, Metra has begun interim repairs in several areas of the facility. Those include replacing all the steps on the metal stairway that connects the pedestrian tunnel with the platform; replacing all of the ceiling tiles, ceiling rails and air vents above those stairs; cleaning, sealing and painting all windows above the stairs; repairing and painting stucco; painting areas throughout the station; replacing damaged ceiling tiles at the east and west entrances; adding higher-wattage bulbs in the tunnel; and other improvements. The work has already started and will be completed by Nov. 1.