(The following story by Jack Komperda appeared on the Daily Herald website on January 18.)
CHICAGO — Greg Gnewuch echoed the concerns of several of his neighbors concerning the prospect of having more train traffic come through his community each day.
“This idea should be dead in the water,” the Bartlett man said. “There should be just a total coupe to bring it down.”
More than 200 residents spent Thursday at St. Andrew’s Golf and Country Club in West Chicago reviewing plans by Canadian National Railway to purchase the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Co.
The rail line, which runs through several DuPage County communities, arcs around the Chicago metro area from Wauconda to Gary, Ind. Canadian National Railway officials said if the $300 million sale were approved, they would use the acquired EJ&E railroad lines as a Chicago bypass route for all current and future freight traffic from its Canadian and U.S. rail network.
That would bring anywhere from 15 to more than 26 additional freight trains a day through the area, a plan that several residents and elected officials at Thursday’s forum largely opposed.
“At what point does the need for commerce overshadow the public safety of local communities?” West Chicago Mayor Michael Kwasman asked. “What is that balance?”
The West Chicago city council is expected to pass a resolution on Monday opposing the pending sale, which depends on approval from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.
The transportation board is conducting an environmental review of the project to see what kind of impact it will have on the area, a process that officials said could take up to a year to complete. Thursday’s forum was one of seven held in communities that would be affected by the sale.
DuPage County officials are expected to meet next week with several area mayors before they take a formal position on the project, county board member Jim Zay said.
“This proposal essentially takes the train traffic out of the city of Chicago,” Zay said. “We’re not ready for it.”
Several residents at Thursday’s forum echoed concerns over safety, traffic congestion, air quality and general quality of life as reasons they opposed the project.
“I love living in Bartlett, but the train is already a sore spot,” said Jennifer Santini, who moved into town four years ago. “I just want to find out all I can to help stop this project from happening.”