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Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corp. (Metra) plans soon to add 2,300 parking spaces at commuter-rail stations throughout the agency’s six-county region, and replace others.



The new parking spaces would involve 21 different projects, and are chosen based on need, local support and potential for ridership growth.



Projects include a new station at Great Lakes, providing 89 new spaces, and the Milwaukee West Line’s Itasca station would receive 174 new spaces. Metra plans to add 150 spaces 150 spaces at Rock Island District’s Washington Heights station, 250 spaces at Tinley Park-80th Avenue and 90 spaces at Harvard.



More than 1,000 parking spaces are scheduled to be replaced at Arlington Park.



Nearly 60 percent of Metra daily commuters drive and park their cars at stations, and about 90 percent of Metra’s parking spaces are used on average weekdays.



"We know that there is a direct correlation between parking availability and potential for ridership growth," said Metra chairman Jeffrey Ladd in a prepared statement. "Therefore, suburban parking remains a top priority.



Thirteen other parking expansion projects are scheduled for completion by year’s end.