Comment EI-13191
Received or sent (printed as 9/24/2008)
It is very unsettling that the Canadian Railroad is as close as it is to purchasing the EJ &E Railroad on the outskirts of Chicago. I live in Barrington, Illinois. The CN Railroad is not offering enough financial assistance to the towns that will be inconvenienced by the extra [as much 20-25 more] trains per day. Barrington is situated such that 2 – 4 major intersections could be blocked with a single train passing through town. Traffic on the local roads increases more with each new development north and west of the area. This town would be gridlocked all day, everyday. When I travel south and east from my home, I have three options as far as roads and all three roads are intersected by these train tracks. The closest hospital in the area is north and west of downtown Barrington and increased train traffic, as well as gridlocked roads, could be a matter of life and death in some cases. I drive 16 miles east of Barrington to go to work. It currently takes me 40-45 minutes to drive, during rush hour. I can’t imagine how long it will take me if the roads are gridlocked with vehicles and trains. My husband takes the Metra Commuter train to Chicago but the train station is on the other side of the tracks. Downtown Barrington is struggling to bring businesses into the downtown area. Traffic on Route 59 and Main Street is very heavily traveled with cars and trucks. Several years ago, leaders in the area tried to get a bypass around town because of the congestion. If you add 20-25 more trains per day, to the already congested area, Barrington will hardly be a viable town. People will avoid traveling into the Barrington area and businesses would never want to locate in a town that is constantly gridlocked. If this sale is allowed to go through, CN Railroad needs to do the right thing! The right thing to do, would be to provide enough funding to finance constructing overpasses and/or underpasses. Please pass H.R. 6707 so Barrington and other communities along the tracks can live and travel without the danger and distraction from too many trains and traffic. P.S. There are several areas around Chicago that will have relief from too many trains if this sale goes through. Does it make sense to move the problem or solve the problem? Thank you for your time and consideration. Linda G. Zimmerman 21373 N. Crestview Drive Barrington, IL 60010 847-651-8814
Submitted by: Linda G. Zimmerman · Barrington, Illinois
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-13191 · back to the docket sheet