Report: Chicago City Council Approves NS Englewood Rail Yard Expansion
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Terminal Map Courtesy of NS
The Chicago City Council on Feb. 1 approved Norfolk Southern’s (NS) 15-year effort to double the size of its storage yard in Englewood, according to a WTTW News report.
According to the report, the vote came after Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor of Chicago’s 20th Ward “dropped her opposition to a measure long sought by the railroad,” which included approving the transfer of streets and alleys in the area surrounding the yard to the Class I railroad.
“With Taylor’s reluctant support, the ordinance allowing the railroad to purchase streets and alleys between the railroad’s tracks from Garfield Boulevard to 59th Street from the city was approved unanimously. Taylor blocked a vote on the measure last week, after preventing a hearing on it for five months,” WTTW News reported.
According to the WTTW News report, before dropping her opposition, Taylor reiterated that “NS had yet to live up to the promises it made to take steps toward preventing air and noise pollution and to hire South Side residents–most of whom were low-income and Black.”
However, Taylor ultimately dropped her opposition, stating that the residents of her ward backed the rail yard, which has its main entrance at 47th Street and the Dan Ryan Expressway, according to the WTTW News report.
“They’re OK with it, so I’m OK with it,” Taylor said.
According to the WTTW News report, NS says the $150 million facility, which began in 2014, will “expand Chicago’s role at the heart of the nation’s supply chain.”
“Construction can now move forward and will bring additional opportunities for local, diverse contractors and their workers,” said NS Spokesperson Connor Spielmaker, who added that the firm has “met all requirements to work with firms owned by female, Black and Latino Chicagoans while hiring local residents,” WTTW News reported.
