Taylor Avenue Pedestrian Underpass

The existing Taylor Avenue Underpass under the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) West Line was a narrow, one-lane passage beneath a busy commuter and freight rail line connecting both pedestrians and drivers to residences, a recreational path, a local high school and more.

Consisting of a single 10-foot-wide lane for traffic and a maximum three-foot-wide sidewalk for pedestrians, the tight shared space posed challenges and safety risks for the many pedestrians and bicyclists relying on it for access to the nearby high school and path. The Village sought to improve vehicle and pedestrian access through this important crossing.

Benesch provided structural design, utility coordination, construction management and civil design for the newly designed underpass. The new underpass moved pedestrian and bicycle traffic into a bored 12-foot diameter tunnel, which allowed the sidewalk to be removed from the existing underpass, widening that lane to 13 feet. In addition to the design services, the Village also selected Benesch as the resident engineer for the entirety of the project’s construction.

The project required extensive coordination with the UPRR and Metra due to the 150 freight and passenger trains passing through each day. Additionally, critical power and communication infrastructure had to be relocated. Benesch coordinated with several stakeholder groups throughout the project, including residents, Illinois Prairie Path users and the nearby high school.

The new underpass greatly improved safety, mobility and access, all without interrupting the train service. It also significantly improved the safety and ability of emergency vehicles to traverse through the underpass without the use of a spotter.