Compromise likely holds the key to STAR line's future

Rumors of the death of the STAR line at the hands of CN's merger with EJ&E are overstated, Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano says.

Back when Canadian National first announced it wanted to buy the smaller EJ&E and move trains from CN lines in the city and nearby suburbs onto the "J," the railroad also opposed sharing tracks with Metra for the STAR line.

Metra has argued this could be a big problem and raised the price tag on the project, already estimated at a whopping $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion. The STAR line is intended to run partly alongside I-90, then switch to the EJ&E, linking locations from Hoffman Estates to Joliet. The "J" stretches from Waukegan to Gary, Ind.

After U.S. Surface Transportation Board members gave CN a big Christmas gift by approving the merger Dec. 24, the ground is shifting on this issue. The new reality is negotiation.

"We've had conversations with CN - we intend to work with them to get this project accomplished," Pagano said last week.

The ideal solution would be to coordinate joint use of the tracks instead of separate tracks, which would be prohibitively expensive.

"Separate tracks could cause complications for us both," Pagano said, adding CN has agreed to talk about track sharing first before other options.

As for CN's statements in the past, "I think with any freight railroad where there's active freight traffic - they prefer to be a separate operation - that doesn't surprise me," Pagano said.

Metra had asked for approval of the merger to be conditioned on getting trackage rights. Instead, the STB essentially told CN to play nice, stating it "encourages Metra and CN to negotiate reasonable commercial agreements concerning the STAR line."

"Clearly, we would have liked to have seen formal language requiring CN to work with Metra on its use," Pagano said.

Whatever happens, CN is expected to add more track to the EJ&E and has committed to $100 million in various improvements along the line.

The hope would be that Metra can piggyback on to that additional capacity. The agency already collaborates with railroads such as the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific to expand commuter train service, and pays for its share of construction costs.

"We all understand there has to be more track built; it's no different from any other freight environment," Pagano said. "Now we're looking at what additional infrastructure needs to be built to accommodate us and them. It's not rocket science."

On the plus side, with CN paying for improvements along the EJ&E, it could offset costs Metra would have incurred for the STAR line if it was the only player.

Meanwhile, merger objections are popping up like potholes in January. Barrington is leading the charge to stop the clock on the Jan. 23 date the transaction was to go into effect and more legal maneuvers are expected this week.

Oh my aching tires

Speaking of potholes in January, I had a call from Kevin O'Donnell of Arlington Heights who started off the New Year with the drive from hell.

O'Donnell and family were headed into Wisconsin on I-90 Jan. 2 for skiing when the potholes started hitting around Randall Road.

"There were scores and scores of potholes," he said. "The truckers next to me were dodging them - it was like nothing I've ever seen."

"It wasn't the deep kind, but continuous pock marks a couple inches in depth - going on for dozens of feet."

Fortunately, O'Donnell was spared angsting about flat tires because he was too worried about being hit by a truck. The ride home brought the same problem, multiplied by the fact you couldn't see the potholes, he added.

Tollway officials admitted there's lots of potholes out there on older pavements, but said repairs are ongoing.

So do you have a pothole problem? Send me an e-mail at mpyke@dailyherald.com or call (847) 427-4553.

Incoming

• Celebrate the inauguration by riding your bike to work. Yep, the Active Transportation Alliance (formerly Chicagoland Bicycle Federation) is encouraging hardy souls to jump on their two-wheelers Jan. 20 for Winter Bike to Work Day. Hot drinks will be offered at Daley Plaza between 6:30 and 9 a.m. for people accompanied by a bike.

• A much warmer event for cyclists is planned Jan. 25 in Northbrook. Deerfield native David Linn founded Cycle for Survival three years ago along with his wife, Jennifer Goodman Linn, a cancer survivor. From 1 to 4 p.m., you can help raise money for cancer research at the Five Seasons Sports Club, 1300 Techny Road, Northbrook. For information, go to cycleforsurvival.org.

• The Illinois Tollway finished two projects recently: the Lake-Cook Road bridge replacement and road widening over the north Tri-State, and the Naperville Road interchange on I-88.