Metra Abandons Plans for Third Train Station

Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley announced during a break at the March 15 city council meeting that Metra had withdrawn its petition to annex 17.35 acres in Crystal Lake for a proposed third train station. The city council was to discuss the proposal with Metra officials that evening. 

Shepley said Metra attorneys had contacted him and city attorney Dan Curran announcing it would not continue to pursue the annexation of the land for a third station at Ridgefield. 

“We received a letter yesterday from Metra’s attorneys withdrawing the application together with a letter saying it is allowing the property to expire,” he said. 

Councilwoman Carolyn Schofield said Metra had been postponing meetings with the council for almost a year. She had recently verbalized her frustration at council meetings over the delays, she said. 

“I don’t think they were ready to move,” she said.

Michelle Rentzsch, director of planning and economic development, said that delays were caused for several reasons. First being the controversy surrounding Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano, who in 2010 was accused of taking $475,000 in unauthorized funds and subsequently committing suicide. Once a new executive director was found, Metra wanted to bring him up to speed which added to delays. 

Additionally, Metra spent time providing solutions to watershed and traffic issues the city council called for. 

Rentzsch said her understanding for the withdrawal was that Metra just didn’t have the money at this time to purchase the property despite having access to some federal funding. The land agreement alone was for $1.53 million, with road improvements estimated at $4.6 million. The county would be responsible for the bulk of that, paying $3 million out-of-pocket for county road repairs.

Metra would pay $400,000 for improvements for the entrance off of Country Club Road and provide an additional $1.2 million for road improvements at the county’s discretion. 

Had the annexation been approved, Rentzsch said the city would have paid nothing for the benefit of having a third train station and it may have been advantageous for Metra as its Northwest Line between Harvard and Chicago carries 60,000 passengers daily. 

“This is their number one business line in the country,” she said. “We have two train stations and it’s always worked out very well. A third station offers an opportunity for transit-oriented development so there is a benefit of having that station in that area.” 

The project had been fraught with controversy stemming from concerns over County Board Chairman Ken Koehler’s stake in the project and the impact on Ridgefield’s community. The station would have been near McHenry County College. 

“I think there was concern about changing the character of Ridgefield,” Rentzsch said. “When the 84 Lumber went in there, that was a wake-up call for residents in that area and this was going to further have the domino effect.” 

Metra spokespersons declined to comment on the withdrawal of the petition, referring only to copies of the letters sent to Shepley and Curran.