Des Plaines to extend sound wall along CN railroad tracks

Des Plaines residents living near the Canadian National Railroad tracks between Oakton Street and Howard Avenue may find some relief this summer from the din of trains.

The city plans to erect a sound wall along the east side of that railroad section with a $500,000 Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant. That portion of the tracks runs through residential areas, as well as commercial and industrial properties between Touhy Avenue and Howard.

Des Plaines is a "quiet zone" community, so train horns don't sound at any of the 32 crossings in town. But residents periodically complain about noise from trains' wheels biting into the rails, said Tim Oakley, Des Plaines director of engineering.

"It will certainly be a benefit for those folks," Oakley said.

The proposed sound wall is an extension of an existing wall built roughly four years ago in Tax Increment Financing District No. 6 between Touhy and Pratt avenues. That segment also was built through a grant.

Engineering plans for the wall have been completed and the city council this week approved going out for bids to begin construction this summer. The council also approved acquiring property rights from ComEd for $23,857 to build the wall.

"It will take another month or two to complete the project," Oakley said.

Oakley said city officials hope to eventually extend the sound barrier further north along the stretch of the Canadian National Railroad tracks from Oakton Street to Algonquin Road.

"But we would need the grant funding in order to do that," he said.