Metra safety blitzes set 41-station outreach plan for 2026

Chicago’s Metra safety blitzes are set to return in 2026, with Operation Lifesaver Safety Blitzes planned at 41 train stations across the railroad’s six-county region, according to Metra.

A station blitz follows a familiar rush-hour format. Metra employees visit one of the railroad’s 243 stations during the morning commute and hand out educational materials on train and grade-crossing safety. Also, they take questions from commuters and listen to riders’ safety concerns.

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“Safety is always Metra’s highest priority,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “Safety blitzes allow us to reach our customers directly to ensure that they understand the need to stay vigilant about safety anytime they’re around the railroad. This year, we’re focusing on stations that we’ve deemed ‘high risk’ due to the number of reports of near misses and incidents at these locations.”

Operation Lifesaver Safety Blitzes and the 2026 schedule

Meanwhile, Metra says the 2026 plan covers 41 train stations across the Chicago metropolitan area. It continues an annual schedule of station blitzes intended to promote rail safety awareness and help prevent injuries and deaths, as reported by Railway Supply.

At the same time, the agency points to statewide rail-safety context. Illinois has the nation’s second-largest rail system, with more than 7,300 miles of railroad track and 10,264 public rail crossings. In 2025, Illinois ranked fifth in the nation for train-versus-vehicle collisions at highway-rail crossings and third for trespassing fatalities. Preliminary statistics compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration show that in 2025, 25 people died and 43 people were injured in grade crossing incidents in Illinois. Another 44 people were killed, and 24 people were injured, while trespassing along the railroad right-of-way.

Metra Police enforcement blitzes at crossings and along the right-of-way

In addition to the education-focused station events, Metra Police will also conduct additional enforcement blitzes at locations throughout the region. The agency says officers will issue citations and warnings to pedestrians and drivers who ignore gates and warning devices.

Metra safety blitzes expand with school outreach and student programs

While station blitzes target commuters primarily, Metra is also planning to implement a new safety blitz program targeting schools near its tracks, the agency said. These events will feature tables set up outside of schools staffed by volunteers distributing safety materials and directly interacting with students.

Separately, Metra also promotes safety through its annual Safety Competition for the region’s students. It conducts hundreds of free Operation Lifesaver presentations annually to schools, community groups, school bus drivers, professional truck drivers, emergency responders, and other organizations throughout the region.

Operation Lifesaver is a national organization that promotes safe behavior near the tracks by offering free rail safety education programs, as Operation Lifesaver describes its work. The organization’s work is cosponsored by local, state, and federal government agencies, highway safety organizations, and America’s railroads.

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