Metra is launching a survey and scheduling public outreach events this month to ask riders what they think about potentially renaming lines to make the system easier to understand for new and occasional riders.
The survey can be found at metra.com/LineNames, and the outreach events will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. March 13 at Metra Electric’s Millennium Station.
The effort is spurred in part by the coming transition to Metra of the operation of the Union Pacific North, Northwest, and West lines. Renaming the three UP lines presents Metra with an opportunity to reconsider all its line names, which follow no logical or consistent pattern.
Metra believes developing clear and consistent line names may make the system easier to understand and encourage infrequent and first-time riders to ride more often. Research indicates that seven out of 10 customers ride once a month or less, while four out of 10 ride only once a year.
Metra is in the early stages of a larger systemwide signage and wayfinding project, which will replace a variety of wayfinding, identification and informational signs that have been installed over the years with redesigned signs that have a common appearance and use common language. It makes practical and economic sense to also consider changing the line names as part of this effort.
The effort will be in the design stage this year into 2026, transitioning to the manufacture/installation phase later in 2026. Metra hopes to complete the rollout of the new signs by early 2029.
