The upcoming Fourth of July holiday and Taste of Chicago, the annual food fest Downtown, means regular Metra schedules will be modified or supplemented this coming weekend. Sunday, June 27, Metra is adding some extra trains to handle the weekend crowds for the Taste of Chicago.

On Friday, July 2, Metra will operate a special "early quit' schedule for the numerous commuters who typically leave their offices earlier than usual in advance of a three-day weekend. The modified schedule includes some extra trains and some trains being moved from the rush-hour to earlier in the afternoon.
Metra's July 3 schedule will be considerably different from prior years because Chicago will not have fireworks that day. Instead, the Taste of Chicago will close at 7 p.m. and there will be no fireworks at Grant Park. So, Metra will operate a regular Saturday schedule on July 3, with some additional service to handle the Taste of Chicago crowds.
On Sunday, July 4, Chicago will hold three separate fireworks shows along the lakefront: one at Montrose, one at Navy Pier, and one at 63rd. Metra will operate extra service that day to handle crowds from the Taste of Chicago and the Navy Pier fireworks show. Outbound extras will depart at about 6:30 p.m. for people attending the Taste, which closes at 6 p.m. More outbound extras will operate after the Navy Pier fireworks.
For the fireworks show at 63rd, Metra Electric trains will be available after the show at 55th/56th/57th St. Station. To help manage the crowds, the stations at 59th and 63rd will be closed from 6 p.m. to midnight.

On Monday, July 5, Metra will operate a Sunday/Holiday schedule in observance of Independence Day.

Bike to Work Week gets into full gear Monday and the Active Transportation Alliance, which is hosting the event, says it is expecting record participation.

For a variety of reasons, mainly the train schedule, I wasn't able to bike/Metra it to work today as I had originally planned but plan to do it soon.

But everyone else is encouraged to jump into the ol' bike seat and give it a spin. The Alliance will even make it a fun experience. Bike Commuter Stations along popular bike routes in Chicago and at suburban Metra stations give bike commuters a much-deserved pat on the back with free coffee and goodies. Monday's events include festivities at the downtown Naperville Metra Station as well the Route 59 location. Events are also planned for Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Bartlett and Downers Grove. Here's a list and full schedule.

Chicago Sun-Times transportation writer Mary Wisniewski had a great story in Monday's paper about the Alliance and the growth of two-wheel commuting. You can find the story by clicking here

Locally, Elgin is planning a whole host of events. There's a story about it in Sunday's Courier-News that can be found here

So, strap on a helmet, jump on the two-wheeler and get to work,

They just don't make culvert pipes like they used to. A stretch of Skyline Drive in unincorporated Carpentersville, undermined by water from a 35-year-old culvert pipe, is closed at least through the summer. Heavy rainfalls over the past few years has accelerated the culvert's degradation, Dundee Township officials speculate.

Skyline Drive is one of the main arteries into Dundee-Crown High School. The closed section runs adjacent to the west end of Keith Andres Park from Deerpath Lane south to Lake Shore Drive. Detour signs will direct motorists to alternate routes.

Anyone who uses Dunham Road between Illinois 25 and Stearns Road east of South Elgin will need to plan ahead because the road will be closed from June 7 to at least July 19. Detour routes will be posted. Check back for updates.

Resurfacing on the Ike/Route 53 from Higgins Road to Rand Road that is underway and will continue to Oct. 29 will mean lane closures and expected delays, IDOT has warned. Traffic on the southbound Ike will see permanent lane closures from now until Aug. 27. Traffic onthe northbound Ike will see permanent lane closures from Aug. 27 to Oct. 29.
Delays are expected and motorists are cautioned to be careful while driving in the work zone. The Illinois Department of Transportation has a website about the Interstate 290 resurfacing project.