CREATE partners break ground on Columbus Avenue grade separation

Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program partners on July 16 broke ground on the Columbus Avenue grade separation (GS11), a major infrastructure project that will improve safety and reduce congestion on Chicago's South Side.

GS11 calls for replacing the current grade crossing at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Belt Railway Co. of Chicago tracks with a grade separated structure, eliminating the potential for train-vehicle collision. About 11,500 vehicles and 32 freight trains pass through the crossing every day, City of Chicago officials said in a press release. The crossing is also considered critical for police, fire and EMS services; the grade separation will reduce delays for emergency response teams in the surrounding community.

"The Belt Railway plays a vital role in moving freight across the nation," said Belt Railway President Jerry Peck. "Projects like GS11 keep that freight moving while strengthening the communities we operate in. CREATE is the model for how this gets done."

Supported by a $49.9 million grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation's Illinois Competitive Freight Program, GS11 is a coordinated state, local and private sector investment in Chicago's rail infrastructure.

CREATE is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation, the state of Illinois, city of Chicago, Cook County, Metra, Amtrak, the Association of American Railroads, BNSF Railway, Belt Railway, CN, CPKC, CSX, Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co., Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. The program's mission is to improve efficiency in the Chicago rail network. To date, 36 of 70 planned projects have been completed, Chicago officials said.