Union Pacific Railroad Relocation for the O'Hare Modernization Program

摘要

The O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) is one of the largest construction projects in the country at one of the world's busiest airports, and is managed by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA). The OMP is transforming O'Hare International Airport from a system of intersecting runways into a modern parallel runway configuration.The UPRR freight mainline between Proviso and Wisconsin runs along the southwest side of O'Hare. Eight miles of this route was relocated 50 years ago to allow for the initial construction of O'Hare. History repeats itself as the current OMP plan requires the relocation of 2.5 miles of the same rail line. In 2007, the UPRR was relocated to an interim alignment that allowed the airport expansion to continue construction while properties needed for expansion were being acquired. The final rail realignment was completed in Spring 2012. Five miles of double track mainline was laid, including two new railroad over highway bridges; two new railroad over rail bridges; one shoo-fly bridge; and numerous retaining walls. This paper addresses the challenges of designing and constructing the railroad relocation amongst a wide range of overlapping airport and local construction projects. The presentation will also discuss the solutions, coordination and cooperation necessary to complete this mega-project from the different representatives' perspectives. AREMA members, many of whom will be flying into and out of O'Hare for the conference, will benefit from learning about the unique aspects of designing a railroad relocation project near one of the world's largest airports.