The Springfield Rail Improvements Project is a $315 million effort that involves consolidating and improving rail lines by relocating rail traffic from Springfield, Illinois’ Third Street corridor to its 10th Street corridor and constructing underpasses at rail crossings throughout the city. The project is also a part of the Illinois High-Speed Rail Chicago-to-St. Louis program. One of the goals is to provide a route through Springfield that achieves the purpose of the high-speed rail program.

Rail traffic in Springfield is expected to increase from 35 trains per day to 81 trains per day by 2030, and Springfield has 68 at-grade rail crossings. When the 10th Street rail corridor is complete, Springfield’s at-grade crossings will decrease to 32, with eight new underpasses and one new overpass. The overall Springfield Rail Improvements Project is intended to increase safety by reducing the number of at-grade crossings, congestion and vehicle emissions, decreasing noise by creating a “quiet zone” for the rail corridor and enhancing livability and commercial activity by diminishing the barriers created by rail lines through commercial and residential areas.

Watch the video: Springfield Rail Improvements Project

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING
“Hanson’s experienced staff has worked alongside us since the beginning with planning, engineering, public involvement and grant acquisition services, and their knowledge, commitment and versatility have been instrumental in keeping our flagship project moving forward.” — Nathan Bottom, P.E., director, City of Springfield Office of Public Works

Hanson is providing design engineering, program management and construction observation services to enhance rail line capacity and accommodate increasing passenger and freight train traffic on the three corridors that pass through Springfield. When completed, the project will enhance rail line capacity to accommodate and reduce the effects of the increasing high-speed passenger- and freight-train traffic on the three north-south rail corridors, including Union Pacific (UP), Norfolk Southern (NS) and Canadian National (CN)/Illinois & Midland (IMRR). The project scope includes bridge design, mainline and siding track design, civil design, drainage and land acquisition to implement the project improvements. Consolidating rail traffic from the 3rd Street corridor to 10th Street requires a new overpass, North Grand Avenue over the NS and Illinois & Midland Railroads, as well as:

Close-up shot of sidewalk in front of completed Laurel Street underpass
Laurel Street underpass, Springfield Rail Improvements Project, Springfield, Illinois

New underpasses

  • UP over North Grand Avenue
  • UP and NS over Carpenter Street
  • UP and NS over Madison Street
  • UP and NS over Jefferson Street
  • UP and NS over Laurel Street
  • UP and NS over Ash Street
  • CN over South Grand Avenue
  • CN over Ash Street

Existing underpass reconstruction

  • UP and NS over Fifth Street
  • UP and NS over Sixth Street
  • UP and NS over Cook Street
  • UP and NS over South Grand Avenue

Hanson’s project coordination responsibilities include working with federal, state and local agencies and impacted railroads to develop a combined rail corridor.

For all bridges and retaining walls, Hanson prepared type, size and location drawings. After approval, we prepared final structure plans and included them with track work and roadway construction documents to maintain project momentum, delivering project segments on time and on budget. Funds from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) are essential for construction and require ICC orders, and we have prepared applications for grade crossing protection funds, along with the necessary orders. Our team has also attended ICC hearings, presented testimony and provided legal counsel.

A listing of specific federal grant applications for the Springfield Rail project includes:

Line of people with shovels standing on dirt near construction implement at site of Ash Street underpass groundbreaking
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Ash Street underpass, Springfield Rail Improvements Project, Springfield, Illinois
  • $14.4 million for Carpenter Street (TIGER)
  • $16 million for Ash and Laurel streets (TIGER & IPRGCI)
  • $22 million for Fifth and Sixth streets (BUILD)
  • $10 million for South Grand Avenue and Cook Street (CRISI)
  • $13.5 million for Jefferson and Madison streets (RAISE)
  • $19.8 million for the North Grand Avenue overpass (RAISE)

Since the Springfield Rail Improvements Project began, the public involvement and outreach has included advisory group meetings with project stakeholders, public officials, business owners, community leaders, neighborhood associations and medical professionals; public open houses; presentations to community groups and organizations; bimonthly steering committee meetings; and a project newsletter and website.

Overcoming obstacles

The project faced the challenge of maintaining momentum and securing stakeholder buy-in while identifying funding sources to implement a complex, phased project across a large footprint. To address this, we developed and implemented an organized stakeholder engagement plan, effective project controls and innovative forecasting of grant opportunities. These solutions yielded continuous corridor project progress and robust support from all involved parties.