Comment EI-3470
Received or sent (printed as 1/11/2008)
I attended the STB scoping meeting in Barrington, Illinois on 1/9/08. The following are my concerns around the proposed CN acquisition of the EJ&E: - More traffic delays and congestion due to more trains at the grade crossings. More congestion means more accidents. Also, emergency vehicles not being able to get through Village of Barrington as quickly as they need to. - Hundreds of students cross the EJ&E tracks at Lake Cook Road (about 3 blocks west of Route 59) going to and from the high school every day. When you are at the grade crossing and looking to the north for oncoming trains, there is a curve in the track shortly before the crossing and you cannot see very far down the track. Kids will be kids and may try to beat the trains at this crossing. This is a dangerous situation. - Already, the Metra train from Harvard to Chicago is periodically delayed due to EJ&E trains. This will only increase, and it impacts all commuters on the UP Northwest Line, from Harvard to Chicago. - More trains means more cars, buses and trucks sitting in traffic in the Village. This is a waste of scarce and costly fuel, and it's a source of increased emissions to the atmosphere. This is compounded by Metra trains that also have to sit and wait for freight trains to cross and the UPRR/EJ&E intersection. - Negative impacts on individual health and the environment due to increased emissions from the incresed freight trains.
Submitted by: Ann Behling · Barrington, 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-3470 · back to the docket sheet