Chicago's $900 Million Amtrak Maintenance Facility Plan Faces Pushback From Bridgeport Residents and State Leaders
Chicago is a city in Cook County, Illinois. Amtrak proposes to move its maintenance operation from Chicago's South Loop to the Bridgeport neighborhood in a $900 million project. The Chicago Focal reported on October 14 that the plan is drawing renewed scrutiny from Illinois leaders as neighborhood residents continue organizing against the proposal.
The office of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the version advanced by Amtrak differs substantially from the project the state initially supported, and said Amtrak has a responsibility to be transparent and address residents' concerns. The project would clear the way for a new South Loop ballpark proposed by Justin Ishbia, who is seeking to become the Chicago White Sox owner. Resident Peter Caruso said, "There's nobody against this facility being built, just not being built in the middle of a residential area," and resident Maria LaGiglio characterized the development as "a billionaire land swap deal."
Resident Tom Bruno, who said his home is steps away from the proposed site, raised concerns about five proposed tanks and his wife's COPD, and said the Illinois Sports Authority owns the lot. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, who initially supported the maintenance facility upgrade, said in a joint statement on Monday that the project should not proceed without input from local leaders and residents.
Chicago 11th Ward Ald. Nicole Lee said residents are pursuing ways to stop or delay the proposal while seeking greater transparency, a full environmental impact study and meaningful community engagement, and that residents are raising money to hire legal counsel. Amtrak said it has worked with federal, state and local officials for years and that the project has changed during development, and said it is working to release an environmental determination and traffic and noise assessments. Canal Edge, Ishbia's development company, said Amtrak publicly identified Canal Street Yard as a site in 2024 and indicated in 2025 that the project could expand if more funding became available. If built, the project is expected to take 18 months to complete, according to the report.
(Source: The Chicago Focal)
Source: The Chicago Focal
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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