(The following Letter to the Editor by Elaine Nekritz appeared on the Chicago Tribune website on August 19. Ms. Nekritz represnts the 57th District in the Illinois State House of Representatives and serves as Chair of the House Railroad Committee.)
CHICAGO — As someone who travels frequently through the northwest suburbs of Des Plaines and Mount Prospect, I can sympathize with the concerns raised by communities along the EJ&E railway that is the subject of a proposed acquisition by CN.
The existing CN line runs through the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs so those communities know all too well the impacts that freight rail has on the motoring public, including emergency vehicles.
Which is why we would very much welcome the relief that the proposed acquisition could provide; even for a few years. CN is projecting that their existing line will see a reduction in trains from 19 to 2 per day in the northwest suburbs. Furthermore, the CN estimates approximately 80 communities will see a reduction in trains while 34 will see an increase.
Over the last ten years, communities along all freight lines have experienced dramatic increases in train traffic. Because freight railroads already owned those lines, they did not seek permission to increase the number of trains, nor did they provide any mitigation. And there are few, if any, existing grade separations and almost no funding for new projects. In Des Plaines, for example (a community of approximately 59,000) there are 32 at grade crossings and only two bridges. It is impossible to travel anywhere without going over tracks.
So when a Chicago Tribune article predicts even longer trains (“Monster trains coming down the tracks?” Page 1, Aug. 12), it is reasonable for residents and businesses in these communities to support a transaction that will spread this burden throughout our region.
There is also an economic perspective to this potential acquisition that is significant. Chicagoland is the world’s fifth largest intermodal freight hub (we used to be third not that long ago). The movement of freight is a huge economic engine in our regional economy. The rail industry alone employs almost 9,000 people in northeastern Illinois and many thousands more are working in the warehousing, distribution and logistics sectors.
Unfortunately, investment in the necessary transportation infrastructure has lagged to the point where rail and truck traffic is so congested it is reaching a breaking point. Rather than looking to Chicagoland as a freight hub, many companies are being lured by Kansas City, Memphis and others; all of which are actively seeking these significant investments.
The Chicago Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the six Class I railroads in the Chicago region came together a few years ago to work on a plan to relieve rail and traffic congestion. The result was the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE). CREATE was conceived as a $1.5 billion public-private partnership.
In the last federal transportation bill, CREATE received only $100 million and the state has yet to come up with any money. While we continue to haggle over taxpayer funding for critical congestion relief, the CN is offering a purely private sector solution.
All manner of consumer goods — from shoes to food to cars — are transported by train. It is the most economically and environmentally efficient form of transportation. In the global economy that is dependent upon transporting goods quickly and reliably, freight trains are a fact of life. The CN proposal deserves a fair review that considers all factors, including the positive regional traffic and economic benefits.
–Elaine Nekritz 57th District
State Representative
Chair, House Railroad Committee
Des Plaines