Barrington expects more than 3,000 for meeting on rail deal

A "huge" turnout - more than 3,000 people - is anticipated tonight at Barrington High School by organizers of the protest against Canadian National's proposed purchase of the EJ&E.

Tonight's public hearing at the high school is being touted as one of the last opportunities for Barrington area residents to try to convince the Surface Transportation Board to reject the merger.

It is one of several public hearings being held this week in the region - a hearing was held in Mundelein Tuesday; another one will be at Bartlett High School on Thursday.

"I am hoping for a very big turnout," said Barrington Village President Karen Darch. "I think people realize how big this issue is." The high school is at 616 W. Main St.

Today's public hearing starts at 4 p.m. with a two-hour open house. Visitors can talk with representatives from the STB, who will answer questions and help people review project maps and findings of the recently released draft environmental impact study.

Between 6 and 9 p.m. is the public meeting in the high school gymnasium, where STB officials will take formal comments on the impact study.

"I think the speaker spots are filling up, which is great," Darch said of the preregister option. Registration will also be taken at the door.

As a way to show solidarity before the public hearing, residents opposed to the merger will march down Main Street to the high school.

People who want to march will meet at 4 p.m. at the pool in the Fox Point neighborhood, one mile west of Ela and Lake Cook roads. The march will start at 4:30 p.m.

Darch said Barrington will have shuttle bus service to the high school from several locations around the village starting at 4 p.m. and continuing through the end of the meeting.

Shuttle bus stops include: Field of Dreams on Hart Road, north of the high school; the Village Church of Barrington, 1600 E. Main St.; Grove Avenue School, 900 S. Grove Ave.; Healthworld, 1301 S. Grove Ave.; and the Barrington Metra station, south of Lake Cook Road, east of Hough Street.

Parking will also be available at the high school and across the street at the PepsiCo building, 617 W. Main St.

Following Wednesday's meeting in Barrington, Northwest suburban residents will have another chance to weigh in Thursday at Bartlett High School, also from 4 to 9 p.m., 701 Schick Road.

The STB is using the comments collected to help determine the overall impact of the deal. The final impact study is expected to be released sometime between Dec. 31 and Jan. 31. A final decision on the deal will follow that.