About a month after a Cook County Circuit Court judge ruled the pedestrian tunnel near the Riverside train station to be closed, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway will being pouring concrete to close access Wednesday, Sept. 3.

In June, the pedestrian tunnel was deemed unsafe after testimony was given from several parties involved, including Riverside and railroad officials.

According to court documents, Bob Sims, manager of structures for BNSF Railway said a visual inspection of the tunnel revealed there is substantial seepage coming through the roof and sides.

“The current condition of the tunnel presents the risk of partial or total tunnel collapse that could lead to a train derailment,” Sims testified.

Riverside Trustee Kevin Smith said the tunnel has grown old and it has deteriorated to the point of needing to be rebuilt. To reconstruct the tunnel was the village’s responsibility but because of insufficient funds, the railroad now is forced to close the tunnel.

“It won’t collapse,” Smith said. “If there was a feeling the tunnel would collapse, it would be closed immediately.”

Patricia Casler, director of commuter services for BNSF, testified there is a station lease in effect between the railroad and the village of Riverside that governs the tunnel.

“The lease provides that if, in the opinion of (BNSF), the subway should become unsafe and the village fails to propose a plan for correcting the unsafe conditions at the village’s total expense, the lease shall be terminated,” Casler said, according to court documents.

Riverside Village Manager Kathleen Rush indicated the village acknowledged the end of the useful life of the tunnel. Rush said the estimated cost for replacing the tunnel would have been between $3.2 million and $3.6 million. She said the village considered both rehabilitating and replacing the tunnel, but the village was unable to secure adequate funding for either option.

The village will not be spending any money on the closure of the pedestrian tunnel, and BNSF was ordered to complete the project in 90 days, according to court documents.

Village officials are reminding residents to use caution in the vicinity of the train station during this time and allow extra time to cross the tracks because the tunnel is no longer accessible.