From Chicago Sun-Times · · 1m 30s
Bridgeport Residents Oppose Amtrak Rail Yard
Bridgeport Chinatown residents oppose Amtrak's new rail yard development plans.
In brief
Bridgeport Chinatown residents oppose Amtrak's new rail yard development plans. Bridgeport and Chinatown residents oppose Amtrak's plan to build a maintenance facility in their neighborhoods after the rail yard has been inactive since 2019. Originally reported by Chicago Sun-Times.
Amtrak rail yard plans
Amtrak announced plans to build a new maintenance facility in Bridgeport and Armour Square, using a dormant rail yard owned by Union Pacific.
White Sox owner's plan
White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia plans to use the site for a mixed-use development and possibly a new stadium.
Community opposition
Chinatown and Bridgeport residents have rallied against the plan, citing the rail yard's inactivity since 2019 and declining industrial activity since the 1980s.
Historical context
Large areas of Chinatown were rail yards until the mid-1980s, when community leaders bought land for parks and retail areas.
Environmental review
The U.S. Department of Transportation gave Amtrak a 'categorical exclusion' from environmental reviews, which community advocates say risks abuse.
Community concerns
Residents worry about noise and pollution from the new facility, which would operate around the clock.
Community survey
The article surveyed residents aged 21 to 85 across Bridgeport and Armour Square to understand their views on the development plans.
Racial unity
The issue has united people across racial backgrounds, notable given the area's history of racial strife.
Lead contamination
Bridgeport's industrial history left lead-contaminated soil, a concern for residents.
The big picture
Bridgeport and Chinatown residents oppose Amtrak's plan to build a maintenance facility in their neighborhoods after the rail yard has been inactive since 2019.
