Comment EI-5027
Received or sent (printed as 2/12/2008)
PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THE CANADIAN RAILROAD TO PURCHASE THE EJ&E RAILROAD TRACKS. As a resident of Park Forest, I am offering my comments to the possible acquisition of the EJ&E tracks by the CN railroad. Everyday Park Forest has to deal with terrible traffic conditions when the trains stop or slow down as they run past the Western Avenue gates. It is almost impossible to go North/South during these times. With the possible acquisition increasing trains from 8 to 32 per day it will create havoc all day long in our town which in turn will affect all of the businesses. Park Forest is in the process of trying to build up our downtown area to increase tax revenue for the village. If the sale goes through, it will deter any new businesses from even considering coming to our village. Also, the safety and welfare of village residents would be in jeopardy with the difficulty of police/fire equipment having speedy access via Western avenue for all types of emergencies. As the mother of a village firefighter, I have been informed the increase in daily trains will be severely detrimental to safety equipment access to residents and area hospitals which in turn, could result in possible deaths if ambulances can't get to residents in a timely manner. Currently, every evening between 6:00 and 7:00 there is a traffic jam in our village due to a train stopping at the Western Avenue gates. Because of all the backed up automobile traffic, it is nearly impossible for safety vehicles to get through the village. Also since my residence is only a few blocks from Western Avenue, I have been awakened in the middle of the night because of a train going through the village and incessantly blowing it's horn. If the trains were increased from 8 to 32 trains per day, it would be impossible to get a decent night's sleep. This would also have a direct impact on the value of my home. Please do whatever needs to be done to stop the sale of the EJ&E tracks to the CN railroad. Thank you.
Submitted by: Byllee Kimmel · Park Forest, Illinois
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-5027 · back to the docket sheet