Metra Parking in Downers Grove, Lisle, Glen Ellyn (Chicago, Naperville: rental, daycares)

[metracommuter368]

I recently moved to Chicago and will be buying a house out in the suburbs this summer around Downers Grove, Lisle, or Glen Ellyn. I will be commuting into the city via Metra, but I know that parking around the Metra stations are an issue with years-long waitlists.

If I can't find a place within walking distance of the stop or a PACE stop, I'm wondering what other people do while they wait several years for a parking space? Are there metered spaces available? How quickly are these areas filling up? Do people rent parking space in private lots near churches and daycares?

I saw a previous thread that indicated there is metered parking at Glen Ellyn with a 10-15 minute walk, which is totally fine with me. I have a flexible work schedule, so I could take earlier trains to work (6:30 or 7:00), and depending on our location, I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to driving to the 2nd or 3rd closest stop for parking, and/or walking a bit farther based on other creative options.

I'm really excited about moving to the area, just want to make sure that I can get to work!

Thanks for any suggestions.

[pvande55]

I assume you are set on living in the Downers Grove/Glen Ellyn/Lisle area. Parking at those stations is jammed. However many Pace bus routes run to the stations. Naperville is chronically short of parking but has a couple of remote parking lots with buses to the station.http://www.pacebus.com/sub/schedules/

[metracommuter368]

As I said in my original post, I recognize that parking is busy, but my concern is if I am NOT near a PACE bus. For example, are some of the PACE buses near shopping malls or strip malls, where I could drive and park there instead?

[chet everett]

In practice the folks that are "too far" from a Pace stop are far more likely to try to find a reliable alternative and parking in a private shopping mall lot is probably neither legal nor "routine" enough to consider -- if you pay for a rented space at a private business there is an assumption that the owner of that space will make an effort to make sure it does not get used to hold mounds of snow nor get paved when you need it.

Realistically the options that you hear "through the grapevine" tend to be best in a small / midsized town -- Lisle has a church very near to their Metra station that has rental spots, I think similar situation exists in Glen Ellyn and with Downers agree there are THREE Metra stations with several "remote lots" that are linked to the station via Pace as well as other bus options -- for folks that like so far from the stations that they need to drive to remote lot the reliability of the bus is a plus...

Total cost for some commute options might force some folks to carpool or do a "share the ride to the station" situation with a neighbor but you only find out about those once you see how else is on roughly the same schedule / part of town as you are -- that can take a few weeks. If you have a spouse that'll drop you off that can be either a good long term solution or something that works until you can find some "commuter comrades" that will share ride to station. There are even some folks that use a short cab ride from station to home as a means of dealing with parking shortages but honestly even if you work out a "fixed month rate" with a taxi service I doubt that is as cost effective as tracking down a private option for reliable parking...

[metracommuter368]

First, thanks for taking the time to write such a great response. It was really helpful and I appreciate it!

I totally agree about the legality of shopping mall parking - - I was looking at the park and ride option to Belmont and noticed that it was right near a shopping area, which is why I mentioned it, but if the parking situation is that dire, I wasn't sure if that parking space filled up quickly too. (We're coming from the Washington, DC area, and frankly, that was a common situation -- both train parking and park&ride full by 6:30am.) I think that your advice about finding something that can work in the short term and being patient about other commuting options as you get to know people in the neighborhood and on your regular train is a good suggestion. (And I'd never thought about snow removal in parking lots either!)

I'm kind of a "Type A" personality, and we're hoping to buy a house for the long-term, so I'm trying to figure out exactly how to get from Point A to Point B so that I'm not stuck in a bad situation for a lot of years and forced to move. What I love about these three areas are the great long-term prospects of quality schools, and access to major arteries if our jobs change. However, I may just have to accept that not everything in life can be planned that quickly and easily, and my commuting situation may just be in flux for a little bit

I think that I'm less worried about DG, upon finding this map of all the combined PACE bus routes: http://www.pacebus.com/pdf/maps/464map.pdf It's easy to see how you can be covered in most of the major neighborhoods, which is awesome. I think that it may just be a little harder for me to see the coverage for GE and Lisle because they're all separate maps.

[chet everett]

Pace does a rather poor job of promoting just how relatively well they cover some suburbs. I think it has more to do with lack of motivation than any conspiracy, the folks that run the service are more used to slow movr bueracracy than to the relative exposure they'd get with more up-to-date mobile apps and other modern ways to promote ridership. I don't think increased ridership is really all that crucial to their ongoing subsidized existence either...

Anyhow I agree that in other parts of the country there are wildly differenct expectations / demands upon commuter services. In Illinois the RTA is very much an "in the background" type of agency. The experience that one may have in areas where more energetic / activist transit agencies around DC is forgien to the suburbs of our region.

DG Belmont is a nice option with a fair amount parking. There are metered / daily fee spots that are generally available for folks without a permit and it likely not all that hard to simply park on street a few extra blocks away in areas that have limited restrictions. I suspect you could also park in private lot (like those for offices / warehouses) in the area without too much fear of a ticket / retaliation, most of those near Belmont would add just a few inutes walk to your total commute. Of course it makes more sense to try to get a spot in a village lot with a monthly permit or work out a deal with local business...

[tireddad]

GE daily parking isn't a problem if you can catch the 6:59, but I'm not sure how fast it fills up after that. You are correct about it being quite a hike to the train, which won't seem too bad except for the dozen or so times of year when it just so happens to be pouring rain at that time. The good news is that once you're up for a monthly spot (I've heard 3 year wait, but don't really know), those spots are very close and convenient.

[westburbsil]

Here in Geneva there is plenty of free areas to park to ride the metra, but as I said in a radon post, I have a best friend whose kids are moving to Naperville. They also asked me about the metra parking. Now they are not talking about everyday, but rather once or twice a month. Where is the best free parking in Lisle or Naperville for parking. I guessed in Naperville the downtown area garages, but that can be a little walk, but not too bad, are there closer ones? Also how is Lisle, they asked about that.

Again, going to city once or twice a month, prob on weekends, but weekdays as well. Thanks!

[mattywo85]

Originally Posted by westburbsil

Here in Geneva there is plenty of free areas to park to ride the metra, but as I said in a radon post, I have a best friend whose kids are moving to Naperville. They also asked me about the metra parking. Now they are not talking about everyday, but rather once or twice a month. Where is the best free parking in Lisle or Naperville for parking. I guessed in Naperville the downtown area garages, but that can be a little walk, but not too bad, are there closer ones? Also how is Lisle, they asked about that.

Again, going to city once or twice a month, prob on weekends, but weekdays as well. Thanks!

Naperville does have the downtown garages but supposedly the police will mark you tire with chalk and if your car is still there after a certain time you get a ticket. I honestly have never seen it but if you are coming in twice a month it will not likely be an issue. I don't know of any free parking lots closer to the station in Naperville or Lisle. Every lot around the metra has a fee of some kind unless its the weekend. If they come in around 8am in Naperville there is parking open for $2 in the front but they have to leave by 5pm. Otherwise most spots probably fill by 630-7am at the latest.

[RJA29]

I know I'm dredging up an old thread here, but my specific question hasn't been addressed (as far as I can see).

How is parking in Elmhurst at the Metra? It appears to be first come, first served. Does it fill up very early (before 8, for example)?