March 12th Public Forum

Public Forum: Say No to Parking Freight Trains in Our Neighborhoods March 12, 2018, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Glenbrook South High School Auditorium 4000 West Lake Avenue, Glenview, IL 60026 Background: The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Transportation have drafted an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed $195 million rail infrastructure project to support the expansion to the Chicago-Milwaukee Intercity Passenger Rail Program. This program outlines a plan to add three daily roundtrips to Amtrak’s Hiawatha service between Chicago and Milwaukee for a total proposed service level of ten daily roundtrips. Purpose of Forum: Concerned residents of Glenview and other Illinois communities believe they did not receive appropriate levels of information regarding potential impacts of the proposed project during the first public meeting regarding the EA on November 2, 2016. Therefore, it is believed that the requirements for public input pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) have not been met due to the presentation of a flawed, incomplete EA at that meeting. On behalf of their constituents, the Village of Glenview is convening a public meeting to discuss and achieve the following topics and objectives: 1. Public Education – increase awareness about the proposed project and components that will affect Glenview and other Illinois communities 2. Public Information – highlight the need for a public meeting and input session after the revised EA is released (to be hosted by IDOT, WISDOT, FRA, and Amtrak) 3. Freight Impact Study – explain why the lack of freight information within the Environmental Assessment relating to the proposed freight holding tracks is a major issue to residents 4. Project Need – challenge the assumption that Amtrak needs a 43% increase in service (3 more trains) when current ridership is less than 40%; challenge the assumption that operational solutions are not viable, such as using additional rail cars on existing trains or newer locomotives and rail cars to provide more capacity on the existing seven routes 5. IDOT/WISDOT/FRA/USDOT Response – provide responses to these and other related issues, along with listening to resident concerns CC: Senator Durbin Senator Duckworth Congresswoman Schakowsky Congressman Schneider State Senator Biss State Senator Morrison State Representative Fine State Representative Gabel State Representative Carroll