The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will conduct a detailed environmental review of Amtrak’s plan in the Chicago area. The plan calls for moving a maintenance facility from 14th Street to the Canal Street Yard, a rail yard owned by Union Pacific in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.
The decision came after the proposal drew strong opposition from residents. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth confirmed the news in a statement Monday, saying they welcomed the federal agency’s decision. “This gives the community a formal opportunity to review the environmental analyses and submit its own comments,” the senators said in the statement. “While this is a step in the right direction, Amtrak and the developer must continue honest and transparent dialogue with residents to ensure their concerns are addressed, which is essential for the success of the entire project,” they added.
Some Bridgeport residents have long voiced opposition over concerns about potential health risks and the project’s impact on families living in the area. The office of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called the plan a “bait and switch,” saying Amtrak’s current proposal differs significantly from the project the state originally supported.
The project calls for transforming about 60 acres of elevated land owned by the Union Pacific Railroad along Canal Street, between 33rd and 35th streets. Nearly $600 million in federal grant money has been designated to convert the site from a freight rail yard into a modern maintenance facility and support base for passenger railcars. Amtrak representatives said the new facility would replace outdated, overly cramped facilities, improve operational efficiency and create thousands of jobs.
The FRA initially determined that the project qualified for a so-called categorical exclusion, meaning no significant environmental impacts requiring more detailed analysis were expected. The agency said the situation changed when Amtrak expanded the scope of work to include structural repairs to 17 viaducts. In late August, an Amtrak spokesperson said the railroad was still awaiting approval from Chicago officials and had not yet presented a site development plan to the city. At that time, residents said they would consider legal action to block the project.
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Source: Polski.FM
