US: Metra Explores Financing to Address Ageing Bridges
Metra has announced plans to explore financing options to supplement its capital budget and address the urgent need to replace its ageing bridge infrastructure in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Metra has announced plans to explore financing options to supplement its capital budget and address the urgent need to replace its ageing bridge infrastructure in the Chicago metropolitan area.
With 446 of the 926 bridges used by Metra trains under its ownership, 50% of those structures are over 100 years old, and an additional 30% have exceeded 75 years—the typical service life of steel bridges.
While Metra states that these bridges remain safe, they are increasingly costly to repair and maintain, necessitating a long-term solution.
“There is no way around it – these bridges must be replaced or rehabilitated, and they must be replaced soon, before our operations are impacted. Because this need is so urgent, we believe we must explore all our options, including financing, to address it.”
Metra receives funding for infrastructure projects from local, state, and federal sources, but the identified needs far exceed available resources. The agency’s current five-year capital plan (2025–2029) outlines 5.4 billion USD in required projects, compared to just 2.1 billion USD in funding availability.
To bridge this gap, Metra is considering borrowing 230 million USD through the federal Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) programme. This programme offers favourable terms, including lower interest rates, a longer repayment period, no pre-payment penalty, and flexible amortisation. Under the proposal, repayment costs—estimated at 15 million USD to 20 million USD annually—would be covered by Metra’s regular operating fund sources, such as fares and regional sales taxes.
The funds would be used to complete several high-priority bridge replacement projects, including:
- UP North Line: Replacing 11 bridges between Fullerton and Addison on Chicago’s North Side
- Milwaukee District Lines: Rebuilding the bridge over Grand Avenue in Chicago and two bridges over the North Branch of the Chicago River (one in Northbrook and one in Rondout)
- Rock Island Line: Rehabilitating the bridge over Hickory Creek between Mokena and New Lenox, and rebuilding the bridge over 96th Avenue in Mokena
These projects were selected due to their advanced design stages, enabling Metra to move forward more quickly once funding is secured.
Metra expects the application and approval process for a RRIF loan to take approximately one year. The initial phase involves submitting and finalising a letter of interest with the US Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau (BAB) and undergoing an underwriting review, which is expected to take around three months.
Metra staff will update the Board of Directors Finance Committee before proceeding to the next steps, including engaging BAB advisors.
By pursuing this financing approach, Metra aims to address critical infrastructure needs and ensure the long-term safety and reliability of its rail services.
