County needs viable Metra
Although it’s fair and appropriate to quibble over station locations and Metra’s overall expansion plans, it’s also appropriate to back up and appreciate that McHenry County is a big part of Metra’s future.
Area landowner Craig Steagall recently criticized Metra and County Board Chairman Ken Koehler over Metra’s decision to buy Koehler-owned property for a planned new stop on its Northwest Line in Ridgefield.
Steagall raised some legitimate concerns about the pending transaction and about the location for the future site. They are concerns that likely will play out in the coming months and years in the pages of this newspaper, and in the morning and evening commutes of residents who live near the planned Ridgefield site.
Taking a few steps back from the tracks, transportation has been and always will be a challenge for McHenry County residents, particularly for those commuting to Chicago or nearer suburbs. It’s not hard to envision a future where more commuters use Metra to travel even within McHenry County borders.
In light of the recent criticism of his agency, Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano talked about Metra’s long-term expansion plans with Northwest Herald’s Editorial Board.
Pagano, a McHenry County resident himself, admitted that although Metra does a pretty good job getting local commuters to Chicago, it doesn’t always do the best job getting them back. That is particularly true for commuters who use stations in Harvard and Woodstock, since many returning trains travel no farther west than downtown Crystal Lake.
The key component to expanding Metra service on the Northwest Line involves moving the destination rail yard from Crystal Lake to a new location west of Woodstock, where an additional station also is planned.
Other stations are planned for the Ridgefield property owned by Koehler, which is near McHenry County College, and near the new baseball stadium that will be built near Lake Avenue and Route 14 in Woodstock. Stations also are planned for Johnsburg and Prairie Grove.
Because of the county’s transportation issues, it is crucial to our economic health that Metra remains viable here. The need is evident. The parking lot already is overflowing at the county’s newest station at Pingree Road, where 300 more parking spots are being added.
The plans now on the table are part of Metra’s $507 million New Start plan. We hope future plans also include Huntley, Marengo and other towns that could benefit from Metra service. Although there are some questions surrounding Metra’s Ridgefield plans, it is encouraging to see Metra recognizing the needs of McHenry County residents and that the county is part of the commuter rail’s future.
