Train mitigation an issue in Wayne election

Several candidates running for Wayne village board say they would work to relieve traffic congestion that may result from Canadian National Railway's recent acquisition of a suburban rail line that passes through town.

"Currently, the most obvious threat is the CN acquisition," incumbent Howard Levine said. "The board should continue to provide the village with solutions to mitigate the potential effects of the merger."

Of the seven candidates seeking three four-year terms, four listed the railway situation as a priority among village affairs.

Canadian National's acquisition of the railroad, which loops around Chicago, won federal approval Dec. 24 and is expected to significantly increase train traffic in more than a dozen suburbs, including Wayne.

Scott Coryell, a police officer who is seeking a first term on the village board, said train traffic congestion and how it affects quality of life and safety are top concerns.

"How will our town handle a train derailment and possible hazmat (hazardous materials) spill?" he said. "With limited funds for employment and training of personnel - fire, police or any other needed - and being in a fire protection district that does not have an actual fire department in town, there are no quick or easy answers."

Incumbents Ann Marie Tigges and William Jensen agreed that while a hard-fought battle against the railroad purchase appears to be over, the village board has options for making the best of the situation.

Tigges said officials are lobbying in Washington for the establishment of nighttime quiet zones, where whistles are prohibited.

"We were sort of railroaded on this thing, but we're continuing to explore avenues to get relief," Tigges said. "Ideally, we'd love to see the purchase overturned. That being unlikely, our next best bet is to try to mitigate the noise."

CN has committed more than $60 million for improvements such as safety gates in communities along the rail and has signed deals with 11 towns for individual mitigation, most recently West Chicago.

The three remaining village trustee candidates - challengers Joseph Mascetti, Robert Schless and Chris Thoms - are running on a slate, saying their primary issue is keeping residential lot sizes at a minimum of 4 acres.

The election is April 7.