On Facebook, TRAIN describes its objectives:
“This is a Grassroots Action Group with the sole purpose of using the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE to persuade elected and appointed officials to “Get On Board” and bring passenger rail from Chicago to Rockford and Northern Illinois via Belvidere, Marengo, and Huntley. Our goal is to extend service to Freeport, Galena and East Dubuque with this line once we have service out to Rockford. THIS is what the advisory referendum on the November 6, 2018 ballot in Boone and Winnebago Counties was all about, and it got 80% approval!”
As a resident of Huntley, I think it is a very good thing that there is renewed interest in this train line at this VERY moment.
One reason: In 2018, I was told by 2 Village of Huntley Trustees that an Amtrak line to Huntley “will never happen”. I wonder why? Nothing has changed since Quinn approved the line to now, save for who was Governor, and Rauner did not support funding the Amtrak line. For Village of Huntley Trustees to take this position is deeply concerning to me.
Huntley has an opportunity here that few communities have.
Municipal elections are coming up in March 2019. There are 2 Trustee positions available in Huntley. I was ready to throw my hat into the ring to run for Trustee simply to push this issue, instead I am happy to push the issue in this manner. For Trustees to say “never” is unacceptable. It was already once a go! It was named The Black Hawk! (1)
Another reason: There is a parcel of land that has been hotly debated and is a few hundred feet from the intersection of Main and 47. This is one of McHenry County’s most congested intersections. (2)
A grass roots group, Citizens for Altering the Old School Site, has been fighting the development tooth and nail, in part, due the traffic problems it will create. (3)
I see this development becoming an issue with a train that may run through that intersection on a regular schedule. I have voiced my concern to a Trustee and the Citizens group. I am doing so now here as well. That development is currently on hold.
It is time to get the discussion of a train back on track. Huntley residents wanted it. (4)
1) https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141120/news/141129744/
2) https://www.nwherald.com/…/huntley-plan-commission…/afv9y3p/
3) https://www.mysundaynews.com/…/political-place-citizens-fo…/
4) https://www.chicagotribune.com/…/ct-ecn-rockford-amtrak-st-…
Some of us who live near the corner of Mill & Route 47 already have had to deal with insufferable semi truck traffic since 47 and Mill were expanded over 9 years ago.(it has been like having the tollway right in front of my house). The train needs to stop in the area behind “Union Special” in order to not cause backups downtown, to be AWAY from a residential area so the downtown ancillary streets (such as Church Street and Mill Street aren’t exposed to even more traffic and noise. It is and has been a residential area for a very long time and it is time Huntley thinks of those residents along those 2 streets. The new owners of “Deans” will be having less milk semi’s coming in and out of their facility (according to their plans anyways) and will hopefully be using Dean street also regading semi traffic (instead of just Mill St.). Now I can handle a few additional commuter trains roaring by… as long as the station is far away enough from the middle of downtown (behind the Union Special Building or further northwest)…. it will be tolerable. If it is put downtown itself by Church St., traffic will suffer, parking will suffer, and the residential homes surrounding it will drop in value even more than they already have due to Deans’ proximity..
Thanks for your comment! I hope you continue to voice your very important concerns at meetings hosted by Amtrak to Huntley and at the Village of Huntley.