Comment EI-13908
Received or sent (printed as 9/29/2008)
Please refer to STB FINANCE DOCKET No. 35087. To Whom This May Concern: As a resident of the general area that would be affected by the purchase of the EJ&E West line by CN, I would like to request certains points be seriously considered, researched and analyzed. A) The line crosses heavily travelled Rte 34/Ogden Ave in the Naperville/Auora area. The increased # of trains would cause not only unimaginable traffic delays, but the circumstances for untold accidents and deaths. (please be sure to research the number of incidents on a yearly basis for the last 15 years as traffic has increased) B) The tracks go through densely populated areas of well valued homes. The loss of value due to the dramatic increase in traffic, should not have to be born by the home owners who are already suffering from too much value loss due to the mtg lending debacle. The noise, etc. will require sound proofing, foundation/wall enforcement, etc., on top of the effect of desirability of the location. C) Due to the location of hte tracks, the safety of the children in these residential areas will be much more threatening. These are areas that the children currently can carefreely walk to a friends home, to any of numerous schools in close proximity, and/or the park. A dramatic increase in train traffic will present many more opportunities for children to be at substantially greater risk not only of the train, but the type of people that could be riding" the trains. C)Could the increased train traffic cause a dramtic increase in vibrations to the soil and land around it to threaten the foundations of any building along the track? Those buildings were not designed to sustain the frequency and depth to which they will be inflicted. D) Last but not least, IF by chance this is allowed to happen. Please require CN to be held financially responsible to #1) build above or below ground path in the appropriate areas to prevent the issues of Traffic impact, residential loss-in-value due to noise, traffic congestion and safety, increased child safety, building foundation impact. #2) Not only should these modifications to the track be required, but those citizens who will be impacted by this should receive fair and just compensation for any possible loss in value, cost of repairs for any damage to their buildings and/or foundations (for the next 30-40 years)as well as costs to re-inforce or rebuild such foundation to prevent further damage and/or deteriorization, as well as to prevent noise pollution, etc. #3) Additionally, CN should be responsible for payment of costs for any needed changes to school buildings, (or any other private/public buildings/services in the area), or property due to increased noise, access difficulty, safety issues, possible physical damage, etc. #4) I would suggest an additional requirement of an annual review of what effects have occurred, been reported and/or discovered and a determination if additional compensation or costs should be paid by CN to the appropriate persons or entity. E) I request that this purchase not be allowed to take place unless any/all persons, entities and property can be shown to suffer no negative impact, or the railroad will be held responsible (financially and otherwise) for the a) prevention, b) repairs and/or c) compensation of any negative impact. Thank you for your consideration. Kind Regards, Sally A. Stovall 1501 Applegate Dr. Naperville, IL 60565"
Submitted by: Sally A. Stovall
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-13908 · back to the docket sheet