Chicago Rail Station Elevator Out of Service Until Winter 2027

Disabled riders of Metra, the rail system serving Chicagoland, are being forced to reroute their trips with the closure of the only elevator that provides access to the Electric Line at Millennium Station downtown, CBS Chicago reports. The elevator on South Water Street was shut down for modernization on May 18 and is not expected to reopen until winter 2027. One disabled rider said the closure came with no warning, but Metra said the agency worked with its American with Disabilities Act (ADA) advisory committee to give notice, made announcements on Metra trains, handed out flyers and placed notices in train seats, among other measures. Metra said riders who need ADA access to the Electric Line may use a station approximately a half mile south, but that unit is not always working and walking a half mile could be an issue for some. A disabled-access spokesperson said the issue underscores accessibility gaps across area public transit systems, but she is hopeful those gaps will be successfully addressed once the Regional Transit Authority — which oversees Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority — will be replaced by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority by this summer.