Comment EI-11416
Received or sent (printed as 9/12/2008)
I am writing with regard to docket number 35087, the proposal to move Canadian National freight traffic around Chicago via the EJ&E suburban line. As a resident of the South Loop neighborhood and someone who lives directly above CN freight traffic (on the east-west 16th street line), I strongly support the proposal to reroute freight traffic out of the center of Chicago to the suburban route. The inner core of Chicago has seen noteable revitalization and population growth in the past few years, and the South Loop in particular has grown. The area is no longer an industrial/manufacturing district, as it was when freight traffic was first routed through the area in the 19th century. The area is now high density residential, and is filled with children and families who are living in close proximity to heavy motor traffic. In my case, close proximity means living directly above the tracks. My condominimum fills with the smell of diesel exhaust each time a train passes, and soot can be found on the windows. The urban environment presents my family with enough health challenges as it is, and the train traffic only adds to that problem. The problem of freight trains idling while waiting on clearance to move through our area is one I am familiar with, and I believe that the rerouting of this traffic outside of the central city would help to improve the quality of life for the thousands of people who live in direct contact with the trains. Many of those people come from minority communities--communities already living with dangerous rates of asthma and severe environmental compromises. Providing relief for these communities is humane. In addition, it is my understanding that the environmental impact of reducing idling time for trains benefits not only my neighborhood and others, but the region overall as needless exhaust is not being put into the air. Furthermore, I see in this proposal an opportunity for fair play in terms of balancing the region's role as a transportation hub between the city and the suburbs. Even with the hopeful removal of freight traffic from the city, my area will still be home to significant Amtrak and METRA train traffic. That traffic proves very beneficial to suburban communities by increasing their access to the city. As a city dweller, it is of minimal benefit to me. I see in the suburban rejection of the proposed rerouting a continued expectation that the urban communities should shoulder all of the weight for local, regional, national, and continental train traffic. In the case of the latter two, that part of the train traffic that our region supports does not need to be placed on the city as an extra burden. The proposal to reroute will simply relieve train traffic in the central city--it will by no means eliminate it. The historical record is clear--decisions relating to infrastructre and transportation policy have favored suburban communities. My request is that the urban community receive fair consideration in this matter and be given relief from needless traffic that is compromising the environment and quality of life for the dense population of the city.
Submitted by: John Whitney · Chicago, IL
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35087/comment/EI-11416 · back to the docket sheet