Bridgeport residents push back on Amtrak plan for Chicago maintenance facility; Durbin and Duckworth seek answers

Both U.S. senators from Illinois have called on Amtrak to provide more information on plans to relocate a maintenance facility from the South Loop to Bridgeport, amid growing backlash from neighbors.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak to provide greater transparency about the project in order to provide Bridgeport residents more information on exactly how the facility would operate and what impacts it will have on noise, safety, and traffic levels.

"We ask that both the FRA and Amtrak be responsive to the community and provide both residents and local officials with greater detail and insight into Amtrak's plans to relocate the maintenance yard. Further, we ask that any such improvements to Amtrak's maintenance operations in the Chicago area be accompanied by a robust and transparent conversation with the residents who may be impacted," the senators wrote.

Many people in Bridgeport have complained that, if Amtrak builds a new maintenance facility near the White Sox's home ballpark, their quality of life and community will change and now they're fighting.

Bridgeport sits just outside of downtown on the Near South Side, and homeowners are close-knit.

"It's two, three, four generations deep in the Bridgeport area," Jack Byrnes said.

The community is upset with Amtrak's plans to build a 24/7 maintenance facility on the existing railroad viaduct along Canal Street between 33rd and 35th streets.

"We're opposed to 24/7 maintenance facility Amtrak wants to drop right in the middle of our neighborhood," said Maria LaGiglio.

CBS News Chicago came out to listen to a handful of neighbors on Thursday, but dozens more spilled out of their homes and within minutes they took to the streets.

"Everybody's fed up," Byrnes said.

The community's frustration comes after Amtrak informed them of the plans to build a four-story maintenance facility within feet of dozens of homes.

Alicia Ferro said it's one thing for freight trains to be moving through the neighborhood on the existing tracks, but it's another thing for Amtrak to build a 24/7 maintenance facility in the middle of a residential area.

"It's going to be constant noise, pollution," she said. "I don't even know, honestly, what it will truly bring, because there are so many different moving parts with this."

Amtrak currently operates a 47-acre maintenance facility in an industrial area near 14th Street along the Chicago River, but for unknown reasons is planning to relocate the facility to Bridgeport.

Work on the $900 million project is expected to begin this fall, after receiving more than $600 million in federal funding last week, but neighbors can't understand why their input was never included.

"They won't even show you a rendering, nor a site plan, but we know they're in the process. We know it's already drafted. They wouldn't be at this stage if they didn't. So, just show us what you want to put here so that everybody can see it. Rip the Band-Aid off it," Byrnes said.

Ald. Nicole Lee (11th), whose ward includes Bridgeport, said she has only seen a limited PowerPoint presentation on the project from Amtrak.

"I don't understand how project of this size and scale can be approved so quickly for funding with zero engagement," she said.

But the fight is not over for Bridgeport residents.

"The fight just started," Byrnes said.

Amtrak has not responded to request for comment. They have held two community meetings in the past two weeks, but Bridgeport residents are demanding another one with real answers.