Residents of Winnebago County opposed to the Great Lakes Basin Railroad will try to meet with the county board tonight.
The 260-mile long railroad would pass through six Illinois counties into Rock County, Wisconsin in order to bypass congested Chicago freight yards. However, opposition groups have sprung up, mostly over concerns about the rail’s effects on private land. Winnebago group member Lana Daley says some county boards, have drafted resolutions opposing the project, but not hers.
"Since our county board seems to be waffling a little bit on whether they’re going to support or don’t support, we are working to continue to get them to at least publically make a statement, do they support or don’t they support, and tell us why they’re in favor of this level of eminent domain."
The Winnebago branch of Block Great Lakes Basin Railroad hopes to make that appeal at tonight’s county board meeting. Currently, the railroad proposal is being examined by the Surface Transportation Board for its environmental impact.
