Crews excavate and build underpass beneath active railroad tracks in Ill.

Updated Oct 6, 2019

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The video below shows time-lapse construction of the Rev. Jon A. Sibley, Sr. Underpass in Galesburg, Illinois. The $27 million Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project included excavating beneath three BNSF railroad tracks to run a five-lane roadway under them.

During construction, two of the three railroad tracks had to be operational at all times.

The underpass, which was dedicated to Rev. Sibley in recognition of his life of service to the Galesburg community, features pedestrian sidewalks on both sides of the road, retaining walls, underpass lighting, and a pump station to ensure that water doesn’t accumulate on the roadway.

The BNSF Railway, IDOT, and other government entities contributed funding to the project.