Railroad relents on Illinois platform, tower project

Written by jrood

Union Pacific railroad officials responded to Braeside neighborhood residents' concerns and agreed to move the massive platform and communications tower being built next to the railroad tracks on the south east side of Highland Park, Ill., Pioneer Press reports. City leaders requested a meeting with the railroad company after a group of residents attended the Aug. 24 City Council meeting and spoke against the construction that created an unsightly streetscape along the once heavily tree-lined railway.

The 17-foot wide by
8-foot tall, concrete platform also sparked safety concerns for parents of
children who regularly walk under the tracks to Braeside Elementary School.

Adair Fell, who led the
residents’ fight, was at ease last week as she relayed the news that Union
Pacific would remove the platform from next to her front yard on Cherokee Road.

"We are very
grateful that the railroad has responded to us," she said. "I felt
very strongly from the beginning that if higher level officials (at Union
Pacific) knew what this looked like and saw its impact, they’d move it.

"(Union Pacific was)
taken aback by it," Adair continued. "One (railroad official) said
his heart sank when he saw it and understood why the community fought it.

"It was a complete
and utter apology."

Highland Park management
analyst Emily Palm said Union Pacific promised to search for a better location
outside of the residential neighborhood, or at least, build the communication
tower east of the tracks, where it would be less intrusive to homes.

"Union Pacific will
have to determine if it’s feasible (to move the unit outside of the Braeside
neighborhood) within their safety standards," Palm reported. "If they
can’t, it will move across to the east side of tracks.

Fell added that Union
Pacific agreed to restore the heavy landscaping to the way it was before crews
cleared the area last month.

Residents and city
officials also objected to the fact that Union Pacific built the communications
system, which allows trains to travel faster and increases route efficiency,
without notifying the city of their plans. The railroad company isn’t required
to publicize their projects because federal law grants the rail line complete
authority to build on their rights-of-way.

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