Metra, State Officials Celebrate Completion of Belmont Underpass

Gov. Pat Quinn and Downers Grove Mayor Martin Tully were also on hand at the Belmont Road Metra station Wednesday to dedicate the long-awaited, $60 million project.

Metra, State Officials Celebrate Completion of Belmont Underpass

Gov. Pat Quinn and Downers Grove Mayor Martin Tully were also on hand at the Belmont Road Metra station Wednesday to dedicate the long-awaited, $60 million project.

State and local officials were joined Wednesday by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and representatives from Metra to celebrate the long-awaited completion of the Belmont Road grade separation in Downers Grove. The $60 million project reconfigured the intersection of Belmont Road and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks from an at-grade crossing to an underpass, with Belmont Road located under the tracks, as well as Warren and Burlington avenues.  Prior to the grade separation, an estimated 20,000 vehicles passed through the location daily, with nearly 3,500 of them being delayed by the 200 commuter and freight trains carried by the three BNSF tracks, according to state officials.  The underpass is expected to dramatically improve …

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Downers Grove Prepares for Traffic, Parking Changes Near Downtown, Belmont Underpass

Parking and traffic changes are on tap as a result of construction at Downers Grove South and the Belmont Road Underpass, as well as the Downtown Parking Study.

As construction nears completion on the Belmont Underpass and various projects at Downers Grove North High School, village officials are gearing up to make several changes to traffic and parking restrictions. Downers Grove Public Works Director Nan Newlon presented an ordinance to the village council Tuesday night that would modify traffic and parking near the Belmont Metra station, 5000 Belmont Road; North High, 4436 Main St; and the downtown parking garage, located on Mochel Drive between Main and Washington streets. The changes are mostly minor, she said, and are meant to accommodate the traffic patterns of vehicles and pedestrians in the affected areas. Belmont Road Parking and Operational Changes As of Tuesday, the Belmont Underpass …

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Belmont Underpass 95 Percent Complete: Village of Downers Grove

Belmont Road is expected to be open to four lanes of traffic by the end of September, according to village officials.

Work on the Belmont Underpass is nearly complete, according to Downers Grove officials. The Village of Downers Grove announced last week that the underpass—located at the intersection of Belmont Road and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks—is now 95 percent complete, with most of the finishing touches expected to be done by the end of the month. "The contractor told us the road should be open to four lanes of traffic by the end of September," said Doug Kozlowski, communications director for the Village of Downers Grove. Construction on the $59 million underpass at the Belmont Station began in May 2010, nearly eight years after the village entered into an agreement with the state, DuPage County, the BNSF Railway and Metra. The …

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Week in Review: 7/23 to 7/29

Get your week started with a look back at some of the interesting Downers Grove Patch articles from last week.

Here's a rundown of some of the DG Patch articles from last week: • DG Patch Poll: Will you be Upset if Omega Doesn't Re-Open? An institution in Downers Grove for 37 years, the future of Omega is uncertain. • [UPDATE: WOMAN FOUND] Police Seek Help Locating Missing Woman Grace Lobbes, 52, was last seen near 63rd and Woodward around 11 p.m. on Monday, July 23. • 'Jeans and a Cute Top' to Open Downtown in September Women's clothing store to open its third location in downtown Downers Grove. • Downers Grove Named a Top Transit Community DePaul University study lists 20 best communities on station building, grounds, parking, and nearby amenities. Downers Grove placed 7th. • Vote for Your Favorites in Our 2012 Readers' Choice Feature We need …

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Photos: Belmont Underpass Project

Check out some photos of the nearly finished construction project

It certainly looks a lot different than it did last August. The Belmont Underpass project is getting closer and closer to being finished, so check out this photo gallery of how the construction is shaping up these days.

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