Bridgeport residents, lawmakers oppose Amtrak facility, especially as Sox pitch new stadium location
Project would replace aging Amtrak maintenance facility in South Loop, near site where proposed new Sox stadium has been discussed
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Bridgeport residents and elected officials are voicing opposition to Amtrak's planned rail maintenance facility, arguing the project could disrupt the neighborhood and worsen concerns about the future of the area if the Chicago White Sox relocate.
Amy Sittner and Megan Rupp, sisters who live next to each other near the railroad tracks, said they fear they would have to move if Amtrak builds a maintenance yard that would operate around the clock in a multistory structure.
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"I'm definitely afraid that my property values, who's going to want a house that shakes and rattles 24/7?" Sittner said.
"It's really concerning for us," Rupp said.
The sisters are among a large group of residents protesting the proposed facility. The project would replace an aging Amtrak maintenance facility in the South Loop, near the site where a proposed new White Sox stadium has been discussed.
Many residents view the possibility of a new railyard and the potential relocation of the White Sox as a combined threat to the neighborhood.
"If the Sox move and we're left with a 24/7 rail maintenance yard and an empty stadium, we're done for here," 11th Ward Ald. Nicole Lee said.
Lee joined several other elected officials and residents at a news conference opposing the proposal. Attendees held signs criticizing the project, with many urging officials not to let the neighborhood get "railroaded."
Cook County Commissioner John Daley said alternative locations should be considered.
"They could move to a new location and keep the maintenance in a non-residential area," Daley said.
Sources involved in the discussions said efforts are underway to persuade Amtrak to consider other nonresidential sites, including an area near 47th Street and Western Avenue.
"Who thinks they can put a railyard in the city of Chicago and ignore the city, the state, the City Council and the people who make up the great city of Chicago? We're not gonna let that happen on our watch," said 3rd Ward Ald. Pat Dowell.
Under federal law, Amtrak has preemptive powers that opponents say could allow the railroad to move forward with the facility without city or state approval. Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said he met with Amtrak officials last week.
"We need them to understand they can't use preemptive powers to force this down a community's will," Quigley said.
An Amtrak spokesperson said the company has launched a new website in an effort to be more transparent about its plans. The spokesperson also noted that Amtrak's Board of Directors is scheduled to meet Wednesday. Residents opposed to the project said they plan to watch the virtual meeting.
