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Federal officials order environmental review of Amtrak's proposed Bridgeport facility after backlash
Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.
The Federal Railroad Administration will conduct a more detailed environmental assessment of Amtrak’s plan to relocate its 14th Street maintenance facility to Union Pacific’s Canal Street Yard in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood after the proposal sparked intense backlash from residents.
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U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth confirmed the news in a statement on Monday, saying they welcome the federal agency's decision.
"This will provide a formal opportunity for the community to review environmental studies and provide direct input," the senators said, in part. "While this is welcome progress, Amtrak and the developer must continue robust and transparent conversations with residents to ensure their concerns are addressed for this project to be a success."
Some Bridgeport residents have long voiced opposition, telling NBC Chicago they are concerned about potential health risks and the impact on families in the neighborhood. Gov. JB Pritzker's office called the plan a "bait and switch," saying the proposal was significantly different from the project the state originally supported.
The project would transform roughly 60 acres of elevated land owned by Union Pacific Railroad along Canal Street between 33rd and 35th streets.
A federal grant of nearly $600 million is being provided to redevelop the property from a freight rail yard into a modern maintenance facility and coach yard. Amtrak has said the new site would replace aging and space-constrained facilities, improve performance and create thousands of jobs.
The FRA initially determined the project qualified for a categorical exclusion, meaning it was not expected to have significant enough environmental effects to require a more detailed review. The agency said that changed after Amtrak added plans for structural repairs to 17 viaducts supporting the yard.
In late August, an Amtrak spokesperson said the rail operator still needed city approval and had yet to submit a site development plan to the city. At the time, longtime residents said they were considering legal action to stop the project from moving forward.