South Shore Line westbound passengers destined for Van Buren St. Station are advised they will begin utilizing a temporary platform at Van Buren St. beginning Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, through Oct. 27, 2024.
The temporary platform will be in use while one of Metra’s four tracks is taken out of service to accommodate a joint construction project between SSL and Metra.
Van Buren St. Station consists of an island platform, with Tracks 1 and 2 on the west side and Tracks 3 and 4 on the east side. Beginning Oct. 14, Track 3 will be out of service.
The temporary platform will impact only SSL inbound (westbound) passengers, who will disembark westbound trains at Van Buren St. Station onto the temporary bridge platform over the out-of-service Track 3. For these inbound trains at Van Buren St., passengers will unload using center doors only.
Outbound (eastbound) passengers will not be impacted, and will continue to board eastbound SSL trains on Track 1 at Van Buren St., unless otherwise announced.
With the temporary closure of Track 3, all inbound trains on Metra will operate on a single track between 65th St. and Millennium Station. Therefore, passengers on inbound rush hour trains are advised delays of 15-20 minutes are possible.
The construction will ultimately result in increased train capacity on Metra as part of a joint project to accommodate SSL additional train service.