Comment EI-4936
Received or sent (printed as 2/4/2008)
Our association represents the barge operators on the Illinois River. We are concerned that the 100+ year old EJ & E railroad bridge over the Illinois River near Morris, IL may not be altered as ordered by the Coast Guard in their Order to Alter issued in 1995. This bridge is extremely narrow and obstructive to the barge tows passing through the piers daily. This bridge remains the most hit bridge in the country and needs to be altered to remove the possibility of an environmental catastrophe if a tank barge should strike the bridge and its cargo spill into the Illinois River. The bridge is just downriver from the Dresden Island Lock and Dam that at certain times of year can have huge flows causing swift currents. The Coast Guard's Bridge Branch has completed the design and engineering work for the new bridge. The new span would be 300 feet (the current span is just 113 feet). Barge tows are 105 to 108 feet wide and 600 to 1000 feet long. We ask that the Surface Transportation Board review this bridge alteration project in light of the proposed purchase of the EJ & E Railraod Company by the CN. We would like to know how this alteration fits into CN's general scheme of the merger--how much of a priority it is to them. I have attached important information about this bridge as well as the barge industry that must go through the piers everyday. Thank you for this opportunity to express our interest in this proposed merger. John Kindra
Submitted by: John Kindra · Illinois River Carriers' Association · Downers Grove, 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-4936
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