A large and growing group of residents from Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana rally in an attempt to stop new three-state rail line from cutting through region.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account and connect your subscription to it by clicking here.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
KINGS — While Great Lakes Basin Transportation officials work to submit an application to build a new 278-mile railroad line through Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, a large and growing group of concerned citizens is hosting a town meeting on Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m. in the Kings School gym to provide information to regional land owners who could potentially be affected by the project.
“The meeting is being organized by people from three states and it will cover topics such as possible road closures, overpasses, barrow pits, rail traffic and eminent domain,” explained Tom Smith. “The current proposed route of this new railroad line would cut through northeast Ogle County and could disrupt many rural land owners.”
Smith added that the path of the proposed rail line would cut through at least 10 counties in three states, including Ogle, Lee, Winnebago, LaSalle, Grundy and Kankakee counties in Illinois.
“The GLBT could move the route up to 30 miles in any direction without further notification, so other counties or land owners could be impacted too,” Smith explained. “The Grassroots Opposition to the GLBT has a data base of over 7,000 and is working on raising funds to help get information out. Local governments and politicians have been on record as not wanting it to go through as it could be devastating to some residents.”
Smith said organizers of the town meeting in Kings on March 23 are focusing on educating the residents and communities of the possible impacts and procedures, and he expects the forum to follow a strict 2-hour format.