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Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corp. (Metra) will move forward with plans to build a $36 million underpass at Belmont Road in Downers Grove, Ill.

During the next five years, the agency and city of Downers Grove will construct an underpass at the Belmont Road crossing to improve traffic flow and increase safety near the Belmont commuter-rail station.

Each day, 95 Metra, 70 freight and four Amtrak trains travel over the crossing.

The agency has completed preliminary engineering and an environmental assessment. Metra expects to complete final engineering in September 2005 and award a construction contract in early 2006.

The underpass will be funded by the Illinois Commerce Commission ($12 million), Metra ($8.7 million), Illinois Department of Transportation ($8.7 million), Federal Transit Administration ($5.2 million) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe ($1.5 million).