Winfield accepts grant for underpass

Winfield's long-stalled plan to build a pedestrian underpass is still alive, but very much on life support.

Village trustees narrowly passed a resolution Thursday accepting a $300,000 state grant to finance the nearly $4 million project.

But the fate of the crossing, which has generated a series of passionate opinions from both supporters and detractors, is uncertain.

The village board stalled a vote on accepting the grant last month following a meeting that attracted several residents who questioned the value of the project.

Some of those concerns have been stoked by a free weekly publication put out by former Winfield Trustee Stan Zegel, who has characterized the underpass as a "subway" and has published several articles and editorials critical of the proposal.

Some residents have argued that the underpass, which would be located just a few yards away from the police station, would pose an unacceptable safety risk for commuters.

Dirk Enger, a Winfield resident and past candidate for state representative, even suggested at Thursday's meeting that the underpass would pose a terrorism threat.

"How easy would it be for a terrorist to walk in there with a bomb?" he asked Thursday while addressing the village board.

Karen Skillman, a member of a resident's group who helped elect several trustees, questioned Thursday whether the village would indeed receive the promised grant money, which officials have said was secured long ago.

"I can tell you the check was ready to be mailed to us," Village Manager William Barlow said.

Winfield trustees had agreed to revisit the vote on accepting the state grant money after Union Pacific informed the village that the railroad company would be closing an above-grade crosswalk at the Metra train station by March 1.

Several residents, teachers and officials from Winfield Elementary District 34 urged trustees on Thursday to pursue the plan, arguing the crosswalk would provide a safe route for children crossing the train tracks daily to go to school.

"At the end of the day, I hope the safety of the children and adults in this community is of most concern," said Diane Cody, superintendent of the two-school district.

Patty Weber, another resident supportive of the underpass, dismissed arguments that the underpass would attract criminals.

"I don't think we're going to see a sudden increase of rapists and drug addicts (in Winfield) because of this underpass," Weber said.