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In October 2007, the Canadian National Railroad (CN) announced its plans to purchase the EJ&E rail line, which cuts through the 8th district from Hoffman Estates, through South Barrington, Barrington Hills, Barrington, Deer Park, Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods and Mundelein to Waukegan.
An environmental review of this proposal estimated that rail traffic through the suburbs could grow by as much as 900 percent.
This increase in freight traffic could have broad impacts on the region’s transportation, including significant delays to already congested arterial roads. Presently, the EJ&E has little freight traffic. But according to plans set forth by CN, daily freight traffic will increase by 15 to 20 additional trains and trains will grow to over a mile long.
Currently, CN operates the North Central line that travels south from Antioch through Mundelein into the City of Chicago. Under CN’s proposal, freight traffic that currently travels on the North Central line south of Mundelein will be shifted to the EJ&E. As noted by CN in its proposed acquisition, there will not be a decrease in freight congestion north of Mundelein on the North Central Line, which runs through the Eighth District communities of Mundelein, Grayslake, Round Lake Beach, Lake Villa, and Antioch. Some commuters to northern Lake County towns like Antioch and Lake Villa could face huge backups along Illinois Route 59. Driving from Crystal Lake, Woodstock and McHenry into northern Cook County along U.S. Route 14 could also become much more difficult, effectively cutting McHenry County off from easy access to Chicago.
By law, Congress has no vote on this issue. The transaction is governed exclusuively by an independent federal agency, the Surface Transportation Board. The STB approved this transaction on Dec. 24, 2008. For more information, you can read the final STB decision or go to the STB's dedicated page on the case.
Recent News on CN:
Bean Responds To STB Ruling on CN Rail Deal Schaubmburg, Ill. - Congresswoman Melissa Bean (IL-08) released the following statement today in response to the Surface Transportation Board’s ruling on Canadian National’s proposed purchase of the EJ&E rail line: 12/24/2008
Bean Denounces Final EIS In CN Rail Deal Congresswoman Melissa Bean (IL-08) expressed her intense disappointment Friday with the final version of the Surface Transportation Board’s environmental impact statement, released today, regarding Canadian National’s proposed purchase of the EJ&E rail line. 12/5/2008
Bean Statement On STB Hearing Congresswoman Melissa Bean (IL-08) released the following statement following today’s Surface Transportation Board hearing regarding Canadian National’s proposed purchase of the EJ&E rail line: 11/19/2008
Community Safety Bill Gets Majority Support (9/27/2008)
Committee On Transportation Approves Tracs Bill (9/24/2008)
Bean Testifies At Congressional Hearing Regarding Tracs Bill (9/9/2008)
Bean Joins Transpo Chairman to Propose STB Overhaul (7/31/2008)
Bean Denounces Draft Eis In Cn Rail Deal; Announces Congressional Field Hearing (7/25/2008)
Delegation Meets With Metra To Coordinate CN Response (7/9/2008)
Delegation Joins Bean to Oppose CN Fast-track (5/21/2008)
Durbin, Bean: STB Should Reject CN Fast-track (5/16/2008)
Chairman Oberstar Tours Proposed CN Rail Expansion (4/28/2008)
Delegation Joins Bean To Oppose CN Rail (3/17/2008)
Durbin and Bean Discuss Concerns over EJ&E Purchase in Meeting with Canadian National CEO (3/5/2008)
Durbin Joins Bean in Concerns over CN Deal (2/28/2008)
Bean Pushes For Local Review Of Rail Deal (12/18/2007)
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