Hiawatha Expansion On Hold Until Local Concerns Addressed: IDOT

LAKE FOREST, IL — The proposed expansion of Amtrak's Hiawatha service has been put on hold indefinitely after opposition from north suburban communities located along the tracks. In letters delivered this week to the mayor of Lake Forest and the village president of Glenview, the head of the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the project would be going nowhere until local concerns have been addressed.

“We have heard loud and clear the concerns expressed by Lake Forest and Glenview,” Gov. Bruce Rauner said. “We listened to you. Clearly, a timeout on this project is needed so you can get the answers you deserve. This project will not proceed until that happens.”

Amtrak had proposed running three additional daily round trips on a route with ridership currently under 40 percent of capacity, according to village officials, who raised concerns about a number of elements of the proposal. North Shore residents along the line in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Glenview, Lake Forest, Northbrook and other communities organized against additional tracks included in a Chicago-Milwaukee interCity passenger rail corridor proposal, forming groups called Citizens for ACTION – for "Alliance to Control Train Impacts in Our Neighborhoods."

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the lead agency on the project, is conducting an federally-mandated environmental assessment of the project, along with IDOT and the Federal Railroad Administration. Opponents of the expansion have called for a more in-depth environmental impact statement to examine the full effects of the project in greater detail.

Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn said his department was sensitive to the concerns of stakeholders along the tracks between Chicago and Milwaukee. In his Sept. 6 letter to Lansing, he said IDOT was committed to safe and efficient travel options while also responding to concerns of affected communities. He said he would continue to work with the project team to make sure the "many valid questions" that have been raised are answered.

Blankenhorn also said IDOT would prepare a visualization of current and future train movements to allow the community to "better understand and see the impacts of what is being proposed."

Lake Forest Mayor Rob Lansing said the department's decision appeared to delay the release of an environmental assessment "for the foreseeable future." He said he expected Blankenhorn to hold public hearings to discuss concerns about the project, and the idea of a third main track appeared moribund.

"The combination of Metra’s opposition to a third main for at least a few decades, and IDOT now stepping back from approving an [environmental assessment] for the foreseeable future, effectively defers such a project being approved for a very long time, if ever," Lansing said, in response to Blankenhorn's letter.

"I thank Jim Patterson, village president of Glenview, and the respective staffs of our municipalities for their support and participation in discussions with Metra, and IDOT that have proven so effective to date," Lansing said.

Patterson said the proposal, which included an additional 2-mile holding track in Glenview to allow faster trains to overtake freight trains in his town, was not the best idea.

“After spending time studying this rail corridor, we believe there are better alternatives that would provide congestion mitigation without creating significant freight train impacts on our communities,” Patterson said. “We are grateful to the administration for listening to our concerns and directing their team to study these alternatives.”

Blankenhorn said impacted communities would be more involved in the decision-making process. IDOT said it did not want to duplicate the work that has already gone into the service study, so it would provide its analysis addressing local questions and concerns within the ongoing environmental assessment. Lansing said a timeline and more details for public hearings would be forthcoming.

Related:

• 3rd Main Track 'Not Needed' In Lake Forest: Letter From Metra CEO
• Lake Forest Amtrak Hiawatha Line Stop Would Benefit Region: Study
  
• Glenview Considers $400,000 Project To Fight Amtrak Expansion
• Glenview Approves Contracts For Lobbying, Freight Impact Study

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