(The following story by Joe Sinopoli appeared on the La Grange Suburban Life website on January 22.)
LA GRANGE, Ill. — The pending sale of the EJ&E rail line may spell relief from freight trains that seem to take an eternity to pass area crossings along the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Metra lines.
But that doesn’t mean relief is coming any time soon.
Studies show the sale to Canadian National Railway would divert as many as 20 freight trains daily on the BNSF-Metra tracks, which have caused major headaches to motorists and pedestrians in Berwyn, Riverside, Brookfield, La Grange and Western Springs.
The plan calls for diverting freight traffic to the EJ&E line which circles the Chicago Metropolitan area, and communities that host the line are not happy with the increase in trains.
“We want to see congestion relieved on the freight route, but we also don’t want to pass on our problems to other communities,” said Tammy Wierciak, program coordinator for the West Central Municipal Conference. “We want to make sure it is done in a proper way, that other communities have a voice in the process and make sure these issues are addressed.”
Rail officials are now engaged in a study to identify environmental and safety issues including noise, crossing safety, clean air and toxic freight concerns. Once the study is completed, it will then be up to the federal Surface Transportation Board to sign off on the plan, and then only after a public comment period has been held. That, Wierciak said, could take up to a year.
“Towns situated around the EJ&E have a lot of concerns, obviously, because they will see increases in traffic,” Wierciak said. (The plan) needs to mitigate those situations to make sure that police and fire can cross through towns, safety is maintained at grade crossings, those kinds of issues are addressed and looked at.”
Meanwhile, WCMC deputy director Neil James said the plan is a reason for area residents to be optimistic.
“At least for our towns there is some light at the end of the tunnel because they will see some reduced freight traffic,” James said.
The conference represents 37 communities and Lyons Township. Its purpose is to provide fiscally responsible services and to promote improvement of local government in west suburban Cook County.