Cook County Metra station elevators out of service for months, frustrating riders

Busted elevator at Metra station frustrates commuters: 'Can you please fix this?'

Elevators at multiple south suburban Metra stations have been out of service for months, to the frustration of commuters who need them to get to their trains.

HAZEL CREST, Ill. - Elevators at multiple south suburban Metra stations have been out of service for months, frustrating commuters who rely on them to reach their trains.

The issue at the Hazel Crest station is apparently tied to the installation of a new transformer, but it's causing a big headache for some commuters. 

What we know:

The elevator has been out of service since last November, and for seniors, expectant mothers, and those with physical disabilities, it is beyond an inconvenience. 

The lack of elevator service also violates mandates from the Americans with Disabilities Act for public transportation. 

Commuters have to climb 33 stairs to reach the train platform from street level.

Susan, who takes the train back and forth to downtown Chicago three times a week, said she's climbing those stairs with her back and knee problems.

"I'm not real happy with it," she said. "I've emailed Metra several times and they just keep saying they're waiting for parts."

But the Hazel Crest station is not the only station impacted. 

According to Metra's online service alerts, the elevators at the Harvey, 51st Street, 53rd Street, Van Buren and Michigan Street stations are out of service as well.

"Well, I'm a senior. I take the stairs, but for the ones that are not able to take the stairs, I really feel bad for those group of people," said one customer. "Yes, because there is quite a bit of stairs to take. So it would be a hardship for those not able to acclimate [to] the stairs."

The woman added that "Six months is a little extensive. One would think any work needed to be done would be completed by that time."

What they're saying:

In a statement, Metra said:

"The Hazel Crest elevator has been out of service since November due to the failure of the Metra-owned transformer supplying power to the elevator. We started the process of ordering the replacement transformer in December. However, this procurement is taking an extended time because it is not a standard off-the-shelf part due to the nature and age of the power supply system. We did investigate the possibility of renting a transformer but none of this type were available. We are hoping that the replacement part will be delivered soon.

"Elevators can fail for a variety reasons, including mechanical issues, vandalism, and smoking setting off the alarms. Metra relies on an outside contractor for maintenance and repairs. Once notified of an outage, our vendor contract requires that a technician respond within an hour. Simple maintenance such as resetting alarms or cleaning a door track to prevent sticking can be addressed quickly but repairs requiring replacement parts require a longer timeline. 

 "Many of the elevators on the Metra system are older models making parts harder to procure requiring longer wait times for delivery. This can result in extended outages. We are working to identify faster ways to procure parts and reduce the length of outages."

Dante Sawyer, the village manager in Hazel Crest, said local officials were aware of the elevator issue and have made "multiple inquires" to Metra about the repair process.

What's next:

Metra did not give a timeline for when the elevators would be back in service. 

For now, they’re advising customers to use alternate stations.