Comment EI-5572
Received or sent (printed as 2/15/2008)
I moved to Barrington within the past year. I selected this location because of its uniqueness--it's quiet, comfortable atmosphere, tucked away just 25 minutes from my work. I live in the Arbors of Barrington complex, a complex that is bordered on the west by the EJ&E freight line. Before I moved in, I asked about the rail line and what I could expect from the traffic. I was informed that some trains did use the line, but quite infrequently. I was happy to see that this was indeed true after moving in. Although I was woken up a few times a month from a train moving through at very late hours, this was a rare occurrence. I was happy. Unfortunately, CN's acquisition of the line will threaten my way of life. The immediate concern is the increased rail traffic and its effect on the noise pollution of what is really a wonderful place to be. I do not live more than a few hundred feet from the line. With the expected increase in rail traffic that comes with the CN acquisition, I will no longer have the way of life I planned for when I bought my first place to live not even a year ago. This causes great concern. Additionally, given my condo's proximity to the line, I fear such an increase in rail traffic could threaten my property value--a consideration I took very seriously before making the purchase. Having more than 20 trains run through town any given day is sure to suffocate Barrington in ways unimaginable by those who are pushing for CN's acquisition. In the short time I have been here, I have seen just how susceptible our town's transportation infrastructure is to traffic problems in the face of major changes. Allowing CN to acquire and utilize the EJ&E line would stifle much of what is so special about Barrington.
Submitted by: David Gwizdala · Barrington, 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-5572 · back to the docket sheet