Grayland station

Grayland
Grayland station platforms and shelters, August 2025
General information
Location3729 North Kilbourn Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60641
Coordinates41°56′56″N 87°44′26″W / 41.9488°N 87.7405°W / 41.9488; -87.7405
LineC&M Subdivision
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Connections CTA Bus
Construction
Structure typeOpen shelter
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone2
History
Opened1873
Rebuilt2021–2025
Passengers
2018357 (average weekday)[1] 5.3%
Rank132 out of 236[1]
Services
Preceding station Metra Following station
Mayfair
toward Fox Lake
Milwaukee District North Healy
Former services
Preceding station Milwaukee Road Following station
Mayfair
toward Milwaukee
Chicago – Milwaukee Healy
toward Chicago
Mayfair
toward Walworth
Suburban Service
Location

Grayland is a Metra commuter railroad station in the Old Irving Park neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, along the Milwaukee District North Line. It is located at 3729 North Kilbourn Avenue, is 8.2 miles (13.2 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the southern terminus of the line,[2] and serves commuters between Union Station and Fox Lake, Illinois. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Grayland is in zone 2. As of 2018, Grayland is the 132nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 357 weekday boardings.[1]

As of February 15, 2024, Grayland is served by 40 trains (19 inbound, 21 outbound) on weekdays, by all 20 trains (10 in each direction) on Saturdays, and by all 18 trains (nine in each direction) on Sundays and holidays.

The station is an open platform shelter situated just south of a junction with the abandoned Union Pacific Railroad ex-Chicago & North Western Weber Subdivision. Parking is available on Kilbourn Avenue along the west side of the tracks south of Milwaukee Avenue, and on-street parking is also available on Kilbourn Avenue along the east side of the tracks north of Milwaukee Avenue.

History

The station was opened in 1873 to service Grayland, at the time a suburb of Chicago (annexed in 1889) created by subdividing John Gray's farm.[3] Gray deeded the land the already built depot was on to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad in return for a promise to maintain and service the depot, thus insuring that the inhabitants of Gray's subdivision would have easy transport to Chicago and back.[4]

The station was rebuilt from 2021 to 2025 to lengthen platforms and add station accessibility. The adjacent overpass above Milwaukee Avenue was also rebuilt. Construction began in October 2021 and was originally scheduled to be completed by spring 2024.[5][6][7] However, delays pushed the completion date to August 2025 at the cost of $40 million.[8][9][10]

Bus connections

CTA

  •  56  Milwaukee
  •  152  Addison (1 block south at Addison and Milwaukee Ave.)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018" (PDF). Metra. April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 26, 2019.
  2. ^ "Metra Railfan Tips - Milwaukee District/North Line". Chicago Transit & Railfan Web Site. Archived from the original on January 29, 2010.
  3. ^ Chamberlain, Everitt (1874). Chicago and Its Suburbs. Chicago: T. A. Hungerford and Co. p. 445. Retrieved August 29, 2013 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Michie, Thomas J., ed. (1901). American and English Railroad Cases, vol. 21. Charlottesville, Va: The Michie Company, Publishers. p. 252. Retrieved August 29, 2013 – via Archive.org. grayland john gray.
  5. ^ Hernandez, Alex V. (October 4, 2021). "Metra Begins $36.1 Million Overhaul To Grayland Station In Irving Park". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  6. ^ Lester, David C. (October 1, 2021). "Metra starts work to rebuild Grayland Station, replace bridge over Milwaukee Ave". Railway Track and Structures. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "Metra to start work on rail bridge in Chicago". Railway Track and Structures. September 6, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  8. ^ Soglin, Talia (August 15, 2025). "Metra reopens Grayland Station after 4 years of construction". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  9. ^ Kuznikov, Selena (August 14, 2025). "Metra reopens Grayland station in Irving Park after years of construction". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  10. ^ DeVore, Molly (August 15, 2025). "Grayland Metra Station Back Open After Years Of Construction". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved August 22, 2025.