Here are just some of the numerous and catastrophic harms to Wayne that would result from CN's plans.
1. 555% Increase in Daily Number of Trains Traveling Through the Village / Emergency Vehicle Delays
The proposed acquisition by CN would shift a significant amount of freight train traffic that currently moves over CN’s rail lines in the City of Chicago to sections of the EJ&E rail line that moves through the Village. Specifically, the proposed acquisition would increase the average number of trains that move through the Village from the current rate of 4.4 trains per day to 24.4 trains per day. This means that a freight train will pass through the Village every hour, 24 hours per day. The increased noise will become, at best, an ever present nuisance and at worst, a potential health hazard. In addition, this will cause severe delays for all motor vehicles attempting to pass through the Village, including school buses transporting students to Wayne Elementary School. Most importantly, it will have a potentially lethal impact on victims of traffic accidents, emergency medical incidents, criminal activity and other emergencies by delaying Police, Fire and EMS response times.
2. 1,285% Increase in Daily Gross Tons of Freight Traveling Through the Village
The proposed acquisition would increase the gross tons of freight that moves through the Village from the current rate of 14,397 tons per day to 184,969 tons per day. This is an increase of 170,572 tons per day. The increased tonnage combined with the increased volume of trains will create strong and persistent vibrations that will constitute a nuisance and a danger to homes and other buildings near the EJ&E rail line.
3. 1,258% Increase in Daily Carloads of Hazardous Materials Traveling Through the Village
The proposed acquisition would increase the daily carloads of hazardous material that moves through the Village from 21.1 carloads per day to 265.5 carloads per day. This is an increase of 244.4 carloads per day. This is a critical issue as the sole source of water to all residents and businesses in the Village is from private wells. In addition, any potential accidents would have disastrous consequences because the rail line runs next to residential areas and is less than one mile from the Wayne Elementary School.
4. Interference with the Emergency Vehicles and Traffic Generally
CN projects that the average length of trains passing through the Village will be 8,000 to 10,000 feet in length. As previously stated, the proposed acquisition would increase the average number of trains that move through the Village from the current rate of 4.4 trains per day to 24.4 trains per day. Such frequency and length of trains would severely interfere with emergency vehicle access to major portions of the Village and with the general motoring public in the Village.
To illustrate, there are two local highways running east and west through the Village. They are
Smith Road to the south and Army Trail Road to the north. In addition, there is one county highway that runs east and west at the northern edge of the Village, Stearns Road. All three roads intersect the EJ&E rail line, which runs north and south through the entire length of the Village, at at-grade rail crossings. The distance between Smith Road and Army Trail Road is approximately 5,000 feet. Therefore, each train would simultaneously block both of the roads that run east and west through the Village. This would divert vehicular traffic to Stearns Road, which is less than 10,000 feet from Army Trail Road , and therefore, could be blocked simultaneously with Army Trail Road.
Stearns Road has existing vehicle traffic levels of 10,800 average daily trips (“ADT”), Army Trail Road has existing vehicle traffic levels of 8,100 ADT, and Smith Roadhas existing vehicle traffic levels of 5,300 ADT. All of these levels are projected to increase in the future as a result of population growth in the region.
Clearly, the proposed changes would force Stearns Road to accept a higher level of vehicular traffic than it currently services. The blockage of one train every hour on this road would frustrate efforts by the federal and state governments, Kane County, the Village of Wayne and its surrounding sister communities to improve traffic flow in the region, through the Stearns Road Regional Bridge, which is in early stages of construction and will provide a means of carrying vehicles on Stearns Road over the Fox River.
Even more obvious, the length and frequency of trains passing through the Village would, in essence, erect a wall running north and south through the Village, cutting off its east side from its west side. This will cause severe delays for all motor vehicles attempting to pass through the Village, including school buses transporting students to Wayne Elementary School. Of great concern is that, to the extent that police, fire and paramedic responses are delayed, the impact on victims could be tragic.
5. Increased Risk of Accidents
The projected increase in the number of trains that would pass EJ&E at-grade crossings on a daily basis would result in an increased risk of accidents. Not only would the risk of accidents increase at the actual crossings, the risk of accidents would increase on other roads throughout the Village as vehicles attempt to avoid the crossings. This risk level would increase exponentially as ADT levels are projected to increase due to future population growth in the region.
6. Noise, Vibration and Air Quality (Effects on Environment and Property Values)
The increases in train frequency and tonnage will create continuous noise and vibrations. The cumulative effect of these disturbances over time could severely impact the local environment and the safety and property values of nearby homes. Furthermore, increases in motor vehicles delayed at at-grade crossings will significantly increase carbon emissions and negatively impact air quality in the Village.
7. Costs of creating Quiet Zones
Increased train traffic and related sounding of train horns may lead to the need for establishment of Quiet Zones. To fulfill Federal Railroad Administration Quiet Zone requirements, the Village must install very expensive safety improvements. The cost of this quality of life issue would fall mainly on the Village and its taxpayers.
8. Interference with suburban commuter rail service
The proposed acquisition will interfere with efforts to create suburb to suburb mobility for residents, workers and visitors in the region. For example, it directly jeopardizes the proposed Metra Suburban Transit Access Route (the “Star Line”), which is planned to utilize the same EJ&E rail lines to provide north-south commuter rail service to connect the northwest suburbs to existing Metra commuter lines.
9. Impacts on Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
The Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve, owned and maintained by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (“Forest Preserve”) is located on the Village’s north and east borders. The open space, flora and fauna of this District Preserve have been an integral part of the quality of life of Village residents for several decades. Any potential negative impact on this District Preserve would have a corresponding negative impact on that quality of life.