Comment EI-14239
Received or sent (printed as 9/30/2008)
I have a very personal interest in the CN deal being rejected. Almost three years ago, we purchased our dream home. Two hundred feet from my back door lie the EJE tracks, and beyond that, a forest preserve. At the time, there was a lovely grove of trees insulating my home visually and soundwise from the very infrequent trains that would pass by. Last spring, EJE cleared all of the trees from my home to the intersection of Shoe Factory Road, approximately 900 feet. Rather than a beautiful view, I get to look at ugly tracks out of my windows. The sound barrier has been eliminated and my house literally shakes when trains pass by. My five hundred and fifty thousand dollar home has been devalued tremendously already by these actions. It will be horrendous when there is constant train traffic. I pass through the intersection of Shoe Factory Road numerous times a day. It is the only way I can get to my job, my children's school, the grocery store, etc. For whatever reason, there has been an increase in train traffic lately, and I can witness the effects from my back door. Dozens of cars and busses are delayed. I have also seen emergency vehicles wait for the usually very slow trans to pass. Since my home backs up to the forest preserve and I see the beautiful wildlife in the fields, I wonder what will happen to them. My house is also so close to the tracks, I worry that a derailment could end up in my backyard, or even worse, crash into my home. With 25 trains per day projected to pass on these tracks, my quality of life, my property value, and my sense of safety are greatly compromised. My reasons are very personal, but I have read the reports regarding the negative environmental and safety impacts the deal will have on many communities. Please reject the EJE/CN transaction!!!
Submitted by: LISA SAFRAN · HOFFMAN ESTATES, 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-14239 · back to the docket sheet