(The following story by Casey Toner appeared on the Southtown Star website on March 17, 2009.)
CHICAGO — Matteson is officially on board with Canadian National’s acquisition of the EJ&E railroad tracks.
The village will receive $680,000 from CN to help the village cope with the increased train traffic through town.
The number of trains running through the village is expected to increase from six trains a day to 28 to 30.
Village officials said the money would be used to train fire and police personnel, improve emergency dispatch equipment and build sound walls adjacent to the tracks in the Old Matteson and Holden Park neighborhoods, among other uses.
Additionally, trains running through Matteson will not sound their horns in the Old Matteson and Holden Park neighborhoods barring an emergency such as cars or people on the tracks.
Village officials said CN will pay for crossing upgrades that will eliminate the need to sound train whistles at those crossings.
A total of $625,000 will be used to construct the sound barriers while $50,000 will be used to buy emergency equipment and $5,000 is to be used for economic development.
The Matteson Village Board approved the agreement Monday.
The deal with Matteson is the latest deal made between CN and municipalities bordering the EJ&E tracks. Richton Park, Frankfort, Chicago Heights and Mokena all have reached agreements with CN.
Matteson Trustees Sam Brown and Usher Sawyer III said they hope the village can one day work with local, state, and federal officials to create an overpass over the tracks on Cicero Avenue south of Gateway Drive.
“I can’t see this being built unless there’s a partnership,” Brown said, adding that an overpass would be too expensive for the village to afford on its own.