Rail project is reckless financial mistake

Glen Ellyn is on the verge of making one of the most reckless financial mistakes in its history — spending $45.1 million to demolish and rebuild the downtown train station. This project is not driven by ridership needs or commuter safety. It’s driven by the dangerous mentality that federal grants justify wasteful, oversized spending.

Metra ridership is down permanently. Remote work is here to stay. There is no commuter surge demanding a massive new facility. Glen Ellyn’s train station, while old, is fundamentally sound and fully capable of serving current and future demand — if restored and upgraded intelligently.

There is also no safety crisis. Real pedestrian safety improvements — like a simple underpass — can and should be built. But using safety as an excuse for a $45 million rebuild is dishonest.

Neighboring towns — La Grange, Clarendon Hills, Itasca — have restored their stations with historic grants, smart planning, and respect for taxpayers. Glen Ellyn is sprinting in the opposite direction: chasing flashy architectural trophies instead of pursuing common sense.

Federal grants are not “free money.” They come from taxpayers. Waste is waste, no matter how it’s funded.

This project appears designed to spend, not to serve. Tiny warming centers and a likely locked building reveal the truth: it’s a monument to consultants and contractors, not a practical investment for commuters.

The Village Board must immediately pause this project, commission a restoration-first plan, aggressively pursue preservation and transit grants and deliver a modest underpass for real safety.

Glen Ellyn deserves better leadership than this. If trustees continue down this reckless path, they will be remembered not for building a new station, but for destroying the character of the village and squandering tens of millions of dollars in the process.

Stop this now — before it’s too late.

Ian Peter Dawson

Glen Ellyn