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Home My WebLink About97-66 Resolution No . 97-66 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN PHASE I OF METRA OUTER CIRCUMFERENTIAL COMMUTER RAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR EXISTING EJ&E RAILWAY LINE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, that the City of Elgin shall participate in Phase I of the Metra Outer Circumferential Commuter Rail Feasibility Study for the existing Elgin, Joliet and Eastern (EJ&E) Railway line and that City staff is hereby directed to contribute the City' s $5, 000 share to Metra for such project . sl Kevin Kelly Kevin Kelly, Mayor Presented : February 26 , 1997 Adopted : February 26 , 1997 Omnibus Vote : Yeas 6 Nays 0 Attest : s/ Dolonna Mecum Dolonna Mecum, City Clerk Agenda Item No. City of Elgin February 5, 1997 TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council FROM: Robert O. Malm, Interim City Manager SUBJECT: EJ&E Commuter Rail Feasibility Study PURPOSE The purpose of this memorandum is to request City Council approval for the payment of the city' s share of the referenced study. BACKGROUND METRA . has secured consulting contracts to conduct Phase 1 of the Outer Circumferential Commuter Rail Feasibility Study. The purpose of the study is to examine the physical, • operational, and financial feasibility of providing commuter rail service along some length of the existing Elgin, Joliet and Eastern (EJ&E) railway. The EJ&E rail right-of-way is illustrated on an attached map. The Phase 1 Study is intended to be a broad analysis aimed at evaluating the general feasibility of the. proposal and listing topics for further investigation. METRA has requested that the five largest communities located along the EJ&E railway (Elgin, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Aurora and Joliet) contribute to the Phase 1 study as an indication of support for the commuter rail proposal . METRA has requested financial support from Elgin in the amount of $5, 000 (note attached letter from METRA) . METRA officials indicate that the entire cost of the Phase 1 study is $250, 000 . COMMUNITY GROUPS/INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED The EJ&E commuter rail proposal has been the subject of a series of public meetings involving representatives from all of the communities located in the potential commuter rail service area. Additionally, the EJ&E proposal has been discussed by the Elgin Community METRA Task Force. • EJ&E Commuter Rail Feasibility Study February 5, 1997 Page 2 • FINANCIAL IMPACT Sufficient funds have been included in the fiscal year 1997 Planning Department budget; cost center 010-1501-715 . 30 . 99 , project number 152330 . It should be noted that, if the Phase 1 study indicates basic feasibility, it is likely that METRA will seek additional financial participation by local communi- ties for a final, Phase 2 study. The preliminary cost estimates for the Phase 2 study is $500, 000, but to date, there have been no discussions regarding the extent of local financial participation. LEGAL IMPACT None. ALTERNATIVES The city is under no contractual obligation to provide funding for the study, and therefore, could choose not to participate or to provide funding at some reduced level . RECOMMENDATION Commuter rail service along the EJ&E railway would enhance • worker access to Elgin employment opportunities and would broaden potential employment choices for Elgin' s workforce. The staff recommends city participation in the Phase 1 study. Re pectfully submitted, Roge K. Dahlstrom qInte ng D' rector O. al m City Manager RKD/sll WISCONSIN ILLINOIS WAUKEGAN UBERTY NORTH CHICAGO 'ILL[ MUNDELEIN RONDOUT 1 DIAMOND LAKE LEITNTONI - - GILMER - LAKE ZURICH �£ BARRINGTON \ - - � LW SUTTON- / 0 INTERCHANGE POINTS WITH CONNECTING - SOO _ LINE HAUL RAILROADS t?c ELGIN SPAULDING / S'.r 's• 1l' CC - - —-—- —.— hu+ivrur,• MUNGER Awp..r r 2-0 ST. CHARLES GENEVA WEST CHICAGO CHICAGO L .4 K c CNw BATAVUp ! C H 1 G AURORA' [ou c` BN NAPERVILLE y TENAC — — `%t�4 OUTH CHICAGO FRONTENAC — -----.-- -- - . Calumrr Kier, Calumr; .0 WHITING WHITING MORMANTO \\',1 . NG I KE FRONT) - _—.—.—_—, T7V� DID ui71NGT'ON C- / �• QEQrEWl RT-- "�Rn� / W - WALKER i (nNn _ Pl.j INFIELD N MON r ' ` v LOCKPORT y. CR ' KIM CATON FARM / I Exowr 701 ROC KDAL JOU ET _ YAM HI AGO a ola (/ HEl HTS R�C�4A ; r tee.i� IIERER'I Q R T y =, BRISBANE FRANKFO — PARK --- -DT SC Q1tiY GTYI INOOKA I �y EAST e < L A E CA? MORR1s i/W I L L o f I BEV04 j 3 j LAKGE S e5 6116 06P y br MfKW7 i Gfef. Industrial Sites Interchange Facilities Select plant sites zoned for light to heavy in- Fast and dependable movement of_freight via dustry are available along the EJ&E in Illinois and EJ&E's direct connections with all railroads enter- .Indiana. ing Chicago. • ELGIN, JOLIET AND EASTERN RAILWAY COMPANY 1141 Maple Road P.O. Box 880 Joliet, Ill. 60434 Phone 815/740-6622 Chicago Phone 312/242-5040 di etra 547 W. Jackson Boulevard Chicago, Illinois 60661 Phone:312 322-6900 TDD#312 322-6774 December 23, 1996 I'D t -\ i Mr. Roger Dahlstrom Director, Planning Department JAN 7 City of Elgin VTY 9 H 76` g 150 Dexter Court r PtANNI G DEPT Elgin, Illinois 60120 �j Re.: Outer Circumferential Commuter Rail Feasibility Study Dear Mr. Dahlstrom: Metra has initiated Phase I of the above-referenced study to determine the physical, operational and financial feasibility of commuter service on the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad, which is currently used exclusively for freight service. Five communities, including Elgin, made a commitment to provide a percentage of the local share for this project. Metra is currently requesting payment of the local share which amounts to $5,000 for each of the five communities. This project was funded under the 1996 Unified Work Program Grant IL-80-2004, Project Number 6335.17. Please submit a check payable to Metra for your portion of the local share. If there are any questions, please call Mr. Lyle Gomm, project manager, at (312) 322-8013. Mail the check to Mr. Gomm's attention for proper crediting. Thank you for your participation in this project; we are looking forward to working with you. Sincerely yours, A& t�4 Ga ry oy F le Director , Office of Planning and Analysis cc: McAtee Gomm Sweeney Smith Rickert Aletra is the registered service mark for the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation.