Chicago Hub Improvement Program

Quick Facts

Preliminary Engineering/NEPA, Public Outreach and Final Design

  • Reduced travel times for Amtrak, Metra and freight trains
  • Improved operational efficiency
  • Enhanced rail safety
  • Broader access to job centers through expanded transportation choice in the Midwest
  • Reduced carbon emissions
  • Unlocks capacity for service expansion

August 2022: FY21 FSP-SOGR awards a portion of Final Design for the Station Modernization project. 

December 2023: FY 22-23 FSP awards PE/NEPA funding for Platform Expansions and Ventilation project and construction funding for the Reactivation of Dormant Platform project. 

2023- 2027: Union Station Enhancements preliminary engineering activities.   

2025: Union Station Enhancements construction activities expected to begin.  

2024 – 2026: Infrastructure Upgrades feasibility and preliminary engineering activities.  

2027: Infrastructure Upgrades construction activities expected to begin. 

$49.6 million in FY 22-23 FRA Federal State Partnership (FSP) funding awarded to Amtrak for construction for the reactivation of the dormant platform, part of the Platform Expansions project.   

$44 million in FY 22-23 FRA FSP funding awarded to Amtrak for PE/NEPA for Ventilation and Platform Expansions. 

$34 million in FY 24 funding appropriated towards Final Design of the Station Modernization project. 

Construction activities for the reactivation of the dormant platform, part of the Platform Expansions project in the Chicago Union Station Enhancements are anticipated to begin in late 2025.   

Design engineering for CHIP Infrastructure Upgrades concludes in 2026, with construction starting 2027.   

U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, Metra, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) 

IIJA FRA discretionary grants, Amtrak, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Cook County, Metra

The Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP) will transform regional and intercity passenger rail in Chicago and the Midwest.

Critical investments in rail infrastructure, facilities, and Union Station will enhance regional connectivity, reduce travel times, improve safety, reduce our carbon footprint, connect job centers, and more. Led by Amtrak, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Cook County, Metra, and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), CHIP represents a transformative investment into the future of rail in the Midwest and beyond.   

The Need for CHIP 

Chicago Union Station is the third busiest rail terminal in the United States, serving 120,000 passengers daily. Despite its importance, the station and surrounding rail infrastructure have not kept pace with increasing demand. This has led to significant bottlenecks, delays, and safety concerns that hinder the station and surrounding infrastructure from functioning efficiently and meeting future growth needs. CHIP addresses these challenges by investing in critical infrastructure and improving operational efficiency, safety, and the overall passenger experience. 

Infrastructure Upgrades

Illini/Saluki Direct Connection

The creation of a direct link between Amtrak’s Chicago Rail Yard to the bridge over the Chicago River will eliminate the need for time-consuming backup maneuvers, reducing travel times by 10-15 minutes on routes serving downstate Illinois and points farther south.  

Status: Preliminary engineering underway and expected to be complete in mid-2025. 

Funding: Preliminary engineering funded by Amtrak appropriations. 

South Branch Viaduct

Built in 1914 and only ten feet above the Chicago River, the South Branch Viaduct requires frequent lifts, disrupting Amtrak, Metra commuter trains, as well as freight rail and barge traffic. The project aims to minimize these disruptions by exploring the best options to span the river more efficiently.  

Status: Feasibility Study underway and expected to be complete by the end of 2024. 

Funding: Feasibility study funded by Amtrak appropriations. 

New Chicago Maintenance Facilities

Amtrak’s current maintenance facility is over-capacity and unable to support future growth. This project will assess current and potential future properties to determine the best layout for train storage and maintenance 

Status: Assessment of current and potential future yard properties underway and expected to be complete by spring 2025. 

Funding: Assessment funded by Amtrak appropriations. 

Southwest Michigan Capacity Enhancement

Restoring 19 miles of double-track between Niles and Glenwood Road in southwest Michigan will significantly improve reliability by enabling opposing trains to pass each other without stopping.  

Status: Preliminary engineering underway and expected to be complete by mid-2025. 

Funding: Preliminary engineering funded by Amtrak appropriations. 

Union Station Enhancements

Station Modernization

Upgrades to the concourse, mezzanine, and entrance pavilions will enhance passenger flow, accessibility, and safety. The project transforms Union Station into a vibrant transportation hub that graciously welcomes travelers, commuters, and residents. 

Status: Preliminary engineering underway. Final design is anticipated to begin in 2025.  

Funding: Final Design funded in part by a $3 million FY21 FRA Federal-State Partnership State of Good Repair grant and Amtrak appropriations, with $3 million in matching funds from Amtrak, Metra, IDOT and Cook County. Remaining portion of Final Design funded by Amtrak appropriations.

Platform Reactivation

The reactivation of a dormant platform will increase station capacity, improve accessibility with level boarding, and support future rail service expansion. This project will also create interim capacity, enabling the reconstruction of additional platforms. 

Status: Final design nearly complete. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2025.  

Funding: Construction funded by FY22-23 FRA Federal State Partnership grant and Amtrak’s appropriations, with $12.4 million in matching funds from Amtrak, Cook County, and the City of Chicago

Platform & Ventilation Improvements

The expansion of four platforms and upgrading the ventilation system will address longstanding air quality, and life safety, and accessibility concerns.  

Status: Preliminary engineering anticipated to begin in 2025.  

Funding: Preliminary engineering/NEPA funded by FY22-23 FRA Federal State Partnership grant with $11 million in matching funds from Amtrak, Metra, Cook County, and the City of Chicago minimize these disruptions by exploring the best options to span the river more efficiently.  

Program Benefits

Amtrak’s mission is to provide efficient and effective intercity passenger rail mobility consisting of high-quality service that is trip-time competitive with other travel options. CHIP will fulfill this mission by delivering the following benefits:  

Reduced Travel Times and Improved On-Time Performance: By creating faster, more reliable access to Union Station from points east and south, CHIP will motivate a mode shift from automobile or airplane to train.  

Midwest Service Expansion: CHIP will enable the growth of rail services across the Midwest and be a key component of achieving Amtrak’s goal of doubling ridership by 2040.   

Concourse improvement benefits: Modernizing the CUS Concourse to improve capacity, accessibility, safety, and circulation to accommodate the anticipated growth of both intercity and commuter ridership.  

Platform expansion benefit: Widening and introducing additional stairs, escalators, and elevators on platforms to provide safer, more accessible routes to and from trains. 

Increased Safety: Shifting passengers from automobiles and buses to rail will lead to significant safety improvements, including an estimated reduction in highway fatalities. 

Wider Platforms: Union Station platform enhancements part of CHIP will widen platforms, keeping passengers away from platform edges and improving flow in a part of the station that sees the most passenger traffic. 

Freight Rail Safety: The South Branch Bridge project could feature freight rail safety enhancements by grade separating traffic over 21st St. interlocking. Separating freight traffic from crossing directly in front of passenger trains will eliminate conflicting movements and enhance reliability. 

Illini/Saluki Direct Connection: CHIP will eliminate the need for slow backwards moves in and out of Union Station on for Illini/Saluki and City of New Orleans trains as well as Metra and freight trains. 

Access to Jobs:  CHIP will improve regional connectivity in the Chicago metro and the Midwest, creating broader access to economic opportunities in Chicago, the largest job center in the Midwest and the nation’s largest multimodal transportation hub. 

Greenhouse Gas Reduction (GHG) Emissions Reduction: The diversion of passengers from cars to trains will contribute to substantial reductions in GHG emissions, supporting broader environmental goals. 

Sustainable Buildings: Stations and facilities will be designed to move Amtrak towards Net Zero goal. 

Stay in Touch

For additional information about the Chicago Hub Improvement Program, email [email protected].