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Bridgeport, Chinatown residents oppose proposed Amtrak maintenance facility
Residents on Chicago's South Side are voicing opposition to a proposed Amtrak train maintenance facility that could be built near homes in Bridgeport and Chinatown.
CHICAGO - Residents on Chicago's South Side are voicing opposition to a proposed Amtrak train maintenance facility that could be built near homes in Bridgeport and Chinatown.
Pushback against new Amtrak facility
The backstory:
About 175 people attended a community meeting hosted by the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community to learn more about the proposal. Residents said Amtrak officials did not attend the meeting to hear community concerns.
The proposed 24-hour maintenance facility would be built along Canal Street between 33rd and 35th streets, across from homes in Bridgeport.
Residents said they are concerned the project would increase noise, traffic and pollution while lowering nearby property values in neighborhoods where generations of families have lived.
Amtrak recently announced it had secured federal funding for the project. White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia has also pledged $125 million toward the facility, a contribution officials have said accelerated the project's timeline.
What they're saying:
Some residents believe the project is already moving forward, but opponents say they will continue fighting it with support from local elected officials.
"Think you can you sleep at night with a rail yard across the street. Where they gonna store the diesel fuel?" said Philip Basso, who lives across the street from the proposed site.
"We’re all fighting against it, we are going to shut this down. We are strong enough to shut this down," said Bridgeport resident Ann Caruso.
"Let me make it very clear – we’re opposed 100 percent. We stand with you, we fight with you," said Cook County Commissioner John Daley.
"This maintenance facility has no place in Bridgeport, Chinatown or anywhere in the 11th Ward for that matter. We have the most diverse community in the City of Chicago," said 11th Ward Alderwoman Nicole Lee.
Residents also expressed concern that the White Sox could relocate from Bridgeport to the South Loop, where the current Amtrak maintenance facility is located.
What's next:
If the project moves forward, construction could begin in 2027.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago's Joanie Lum.