(The following article by Lee Provost appeared on the Kanakakee Daily Journal’s website on July 10.)
KANKAKEE, Ill. — Is an extension of the Metra passenger rail line in Kankakee County’s future?
The first meeting between Kankakee and Will county officials to begin answering that question will take place at 2 p.m. July 16 in the old Kankakee depot.
“We need to set up what needs to be done first,” said Tim Schmidt, Kankakee’s economic development director, regarding the feasibility study’s first phase.
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves. We have to answer the first questions first. This is not the time to answer questions that will come later.”
In addition to Kankakee, representatives from the communities of Monee, Peotone, Manteno, Bradley, Bourbonnais, Aroma Park, Will County, Kankakee County and the Illinois Department of Transportation are expected. The public is also invited.
Phase one of the three-part study is expected to take eight to 15 months to complete at a cost of about $150,000 once a consultant is selected. The entire three-phase study would likely take about 10 years to complete.
Of the $150,000, half came from IDOT and half from local governments.
Among the phase one questions to be answered are ridership numbers, local government support/opposition and Regional Transportation Authority membership.
Chuck Abraham, IDOT’s program support director, said he plans to give participants background on the Metra study process and let people know “this is one step in a long, long process.”
Abraham said at the end of each stage, the committee needs to look at the project feasibility and determine “does the cost outweigh the benefit.”
Phase two will likely focus on environmental issues, definition of costs, ridership details and areas of concern from phase one. Phase three would be how to build.
Metra currently extends to University Park, a Will County community about 30 miles north of Kankakee.
To date, there has been no organized opposition to the proposed Metra extension which if eventually granted would cost all area residents an increase in sales tax to join the RTA. A sales tax increase would have to be approved by county voters through a referendum.
Schmidt said this could be the most important step for the county as a whole for decades.
“What will make this community pop is a rail line or an airport or both,” he said. “But I don’t want people to think that these two issues are joined. I’m hoping the study shows this rail line can exist on its own regardless of the third airport question.”
Added Schmidt: “This would really be a quality of life referendum. This would be access to better jobs, more opportunity. In my mind this is huge.”