(The following story by Thomas V. Bona appeared on the Rockford Register Star website on April 12.)
MACHESNEY PARK, Ill. — Local leaders are speaking in a unified voice on which Amtrak route should be chosen — let the state decide.
Rather than back one of the three routes being considered for restoring Amtrak service, a panel of local officials voted Thursday to support whichever route the Illinois Department of Transportation deems the most feasible.
State and federal officials may decide later this month after a public meeting in Rockford. Trains could return here by the end of 2009.
Thursday’s vote was by the Rockford Area Transportation Study policy board, which includes mayors and County Board members from Winnebago and Boone. Members said that was the best way to keep the “unified voice” that state and federal officials say is critical to the project.
“I don’t think it’s a weak decision. I think it’s the best decision and the one most likely to move us forward,” Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey said.
Based on the information they have now, most board members said restoring service along the old Amtrak Black Hawk line through Elmhurst and Genoa looks like the best bet. But they were open to new information.
“Whatever they come up with, we’ll support,” said Scott Christiansen, Winnebago County Board chairman.
Board members said it lets the state set its own criteria — which could include cost, potential ridership, travel times, railroad congestion and infrastructure issues.
It’s similar to a resolution made by the Blackhawk Area Railroad Coalition, an advocacy group that’s been active in getting Amtrak service restored.
The vote was 6-0, with Belvidere Mayor Fred Brereton voting “present.”
“I don’t think we’re saying anything,” he said. “I think we’re saying we can’t make up our minds, so you do it for us.”
Brereton lobbied for the Amtrak route that would go through his city, but said if IDOT ultimately chooses a different route, he won’t speak against it.
Amtrak stopped service here in 1981. Trains would go from Chicago through Rockford to Dubuque, Iowa. At issue is how Amtrak would get from Chicago to Rockford.
Besides the old Black Hawk route, there are two that would use Metra tracks from Chicago to Elgin. One would go through Marengo, Belvidere and Rockford; the other would go through Davis Junction and past Chicago/Rockford International Airport.
According to Amtrak’s feasibility study released last month, the Black Hawk route would be the cheapest and fastest and would serve twice as many passengers as the others. But IDOT acting Secretary Milt Sees said this month that doesn’t necessarily make it a slam dunk — there are pending issues regarding sharing tracks with other railroads, for example.