Station Review #154: Franklin Park (Metra)


Franklin Park is a station on METRA's MD-W line. The station is located on 25th Street and Pacific Avenue in Franklin Park, Illinois. This is not the Franklin Park station on METRA's NCS line, that is a different station that's nearby. 

Tour

Train at Franklin Park

Platform

If this was a SEPTA station, this would be horrible. But as a Metra station, these platforms are completely all right. 

Ad posters and garden

Many bike racks

Schedule and map 

Inside depot

This would be far nicer with bathrooms, but is otherwise much better than anything you could find on most of SEPTA. 

Parking meter

Nearby 5 over 1 development 

Countdown clock 

Parking

The station from afar

Transit Connections


Franklin Park has three transit connections:

Metra


NCS: This train goes from Chicago Union station to Antioch, IL via the CN Waukesha subdivision. Only six trains a day per direction run on this line, which is 12 trains total. You can catch this at the nearby Franklin park station for the NCS. 

Pace


303 - Forest Park-Rosemont: This bus runs from the Forest Park station on the CTA Blue Line to the Rosemont station, also on the CTA Blue Line. This bus goes via Madison Street, Broadeay Avenue, 25th Avenue, and River Road, linking suburbs like Franklin Park and Melrose Park to the Blue Line. This bus runs half hourly at peak times, hourly off peak. 

319 - Grand Avenue: This bus travels along Grand Avenue, linking between Northlake Commons and the Grand and Nordica bus loop in the Northwest Side of Chicago. There is one trip a day that runs to and from Bensenville station instead of Northlake Commons. This bus runs half hourly at peak times and hourly off peak. 

Points of Interest Near Franklin Park station

Franklin Park has a small walkable downtown with a few stores in it, as well as some transit oriented development. The rest of it is pretty residential. 

Statistics


Name: Franklin Park 
Agency: Metra
Line(s): MD-W
Locality: Franklin Park 
Municipality: Franklin Park 
County: Cook
State: Illinois
Ridership: 705 riders per average weekday (2018)

Amenity Checklist


Accessible: ✓
Bathrooms: ×
Bicycle parking: ✓
Clean Station: ✓
Connections to other transit routes: ✓
Easy passage for each side: ✓
Existence is justified: ✓
Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): n/a
Good Wayfinding: ✓
Indoor Shelters: ✓
Maps: ✓
Multiple entrances/exits: ✓
Adequate Parking: ✓
Safe to use: ✓
Seating: ✓
Shelters: ✓
Station In Good Condition: ✓
TVMs: ✓
Ticket Offices: ✓
TOD: ✓
Train Departure/Arrival Info (countdown clocks): ✓
Updated/Useful Signage: ✓

Final Verdict: 9/10

Station Directory

--------Cook County--------
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Chicago Union
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Western Avenue
Grand-Cicero
Hanson Park
Galewood
Mars
Mont Clare
Elmwood Park
River Grove
Franklin Park
--------DuPage County--------
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
Bensenville
Wood Dale
Itasca
Medinah
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
Roselle
Schaumburg
Hanover Park
--------Cook County--------
Bartlett
--------Kane County--------
National Street
Elgin
Big Timber Road 

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