The station was built as part of a South Shore Line project that removed a street running section on Chicago Avenue and placed the line on an elevated roadbed parallel to the Indiana Toll Road in order to improve speed and mitigate traffic issues.

[2] East Chicago consists of a single high-level island platform situated between two gauntlet tracks which permit the passage of freight trains.

At this location the South Shore Line is situated on an embankment and the platform traverses Indianapolis Boulevard.

The station building is located east of Indianapolis Boulevard at ground level.

[5] NICTD approved a $4.4-million construction project in March 2019 to increase passenger access at East Chicago.