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Great Lakes Basin Railroad Pulling out of Boone County
By Bob Balgemann
Courtesy photo Belvidere Daily Republican
Pictured is the new preferred route for the Great Lakes Basin Railway.
Those who didn’t want the proposed Great Lakes Basin Transportation (GLBT) railroad to come through Boone County probably don’t have that to worry about anymore. On Sept. 20, the Company submitted a new route to the Federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) that doesn’t include Boone County. It did so in response to an environmental analysis received from the Board, which will make the final decision on the proposed rail bypass around the city of Chicago. In addition, the GLBT reviewed and analyzed comments from public and governmental entities that were made during the comment period, which followed the series of scoping meetings held along the proposed route last summer. Frank Patton, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, also said in an email that the revision came as a result of “strong requests from the Rockford political/economic development folks.” In some cases, the Company was able to provide alternative routes to avoid constraints identified during the scoping process. One of those alternatives, according to Company spokesman Mike Blaszak, eliminated Boone County. The new preferred route includes modified alignments around Westville, Tenn., Kingsbury and Lowell, Ind., Rockford, Ill. Winnebago County, Rock County, and Emerald Grove, Wis. “The preferred route also eliminates any rail line through Boone County, Ill.,” a statement released by GLBT said. An interactive map of the new preferred route has been posted on the company’s website. Boone County recently sent both a resolution and letter to the STB, stating it joined the community in opposing a portion of the 178 mile route going through the Capron and Garden Prairie areas. The letter was divided into parts to mirror what had been part of the scoping process. It contained a variety of concerns in the areas of land use, transportation systems, safety, biological, water, geological and soils, noise, vibration, and socioeconomics. County Board Chairman Bob Walberg said Sept. 29, “that the railroad Company’s decision had given locals some relief, so they don’t have to worry about it for the next two or three years.” That’s how long he anticipated it would take for the STB to make a final decision on the proposal. In reality, he said it could be another three or four years before a decision is made. Board officials said the Great Lakes Basin’s project brought in the largest volume of comments they ever received. In addition, this country will elect a new president Nov. 8 and then, sometime in 2017, new members of the STB will be appointed. “I hope the Board will go along with it,” he said of the company’s revised route. Apparently, some of those who opposed the Boone County route now plan to help people in other areas, who don’t want it in their backyards, either. “You have to be careful that they [Great Lakes Basin] don’t come back here,” the Chairman said.
