Comment EI-13264
Received or sent (printed as 9/26/2008)
I am very concerned about the proposed purchase of the EJ & E Rail Line by the Canadian National Railway. The proposed increase in both train traffic and increased length of these trains will adversely affect many of the communities bordering these tracks. One of the major concerns I have is the safety of the antiquated, at-grade crossings in the Naperville, Plainfield and Aurora, IL. Our school district recently has redrawn the boundaries for our highschools in IPSD 204 and now several hundred students will not be bused across these tracks that were not previously. Particularly impacted by the boundary changes were Tall Grass and White Eagle Subdivision in Naperville, IL. These children will be put at risk daily crossing these tracks. There is only one above-grade crossing that could possibly be used to transport these children but that would require the buses traveling significantly north and then back tracking south thereby increasing the time and costs to transport these children to the highschool. These trains are going to significantly impact the traffic patterns in all these communtities which already experience terrible traffic congestion daily during rush hour traffic. This deal is so greatly increasing the number of trains as well as the length of these trains that the quality of life in our communities along these rails is directly and negatively impacted. The Canadian National is proposing so little monetary support for communities to upgrade crossings, so the taxpayers will have to foot the bill. These concerns are only the tip of the iceberg. We are also were concerned with hazzardous waste in high population areas, increased noise and pollution, and decreased response time for emergency vehicles. Please support the citizens and fight against this deal. Alternatives must be considered and infrastructure should be built first before any such passage of increased traffic along these tracks. A few added trains would not be a big deal but changes of this magnitude are just not feasible with the current limitations of infrastructure. Please vote No!"."
Submitted by: Barb Soares · Naperville, 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-13264 · back to the docket sheet