Nov 24th 2020 | Posted in Transportation by Government Contracting Pipeline

Illinois – The Metra board approved $386.8 million in capital spending in 2021 to invest in railcars, locomotives, bridges, and stations.
More than half of the capital funding will go towards major projects, including:
  • $69.9 million for locomotive and car rehabilitation. Metra will fund programs to overhaul 21 recently purchased Amtrak locomotives and upgrade locomotives with AC traction motors.
  • $61.5 million for new rolling stock. Metra is close to purchasing new railcars after asking manufacturers to propose new designs that maximize capacity and add customer amenities.
  • $12.9 million for bridges. Metra has nearly 500 bridges that are more than a century old, and funding will be used to design and construct the replacement of several bridges.
  • $47.3 million for stations. Metra is upgrading its stations, with an emphasis on improving accessibility and ensuring that every station has a warming shelter.
  • $34.9 million for equipment and vehicles.
Metra will forward its 2021 budget of $700 million and its capital program to the Regional Transportation Authority Board for approval as part of a consolidated budget for the region’s public transit systems.