RAILROAD CORRIDOR STUDY

Springfield Railroad Corridor Study
clo Vector Communications

701 N. 15th Street

Mailbox 43

St. Louis, MO 63103

April 20th Open House great opportunity to
learn more and share your thoughts

From 4:00 p.m, until 7:00 p.m. on and vibration analyses, corridor rede-
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at the Prairie velopment ideas, and historic structure
Capital Convention Center, interested assessments. In addition, the open

citizens and business people will be house will have a station dedicated to
able to meet the study team to learn public feedback where team members

about the study’s activities and find- will ask participants about their rail
ings to date. Although there will be traffic concerns, desired corridor or
no formal presentation, various neighborhood improvements, and
stations will be staffed by team community values. Those who attend
members who will share information _ will also be encouraged to complete

on the study’s environmental efforts, a comment form about their open
traffic studies, public safety data, noise house experience.

Unable to attend the open house? Participate in a webinar - a facilitated
presentation via the Internet. By participating in the webinar, you will have
an opportunity to view the information that was presented at the open house
as well as to ask questions of the study team. Visit the website to register
for the webinar - www.springfieldrailroad.com.

Please come out to get involved and
give the study team your input. You
may come anytime during the three-
hour petiod. All are welcome.

Tuesday, April 20
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

time, there is

> formal presentation

Prairie Capital
Convention Center *
1 Convention Center Plaza

Springfield, IL 62701

*This facility is
ADA accessible.


RAILROAD CORRIDOR STUDY

Fall 2010, Issue 3

Second open house to present corridor
alternatives for public input

Tuesday,
November 16

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Prairie Capital

Convention Center
1 Convention
Center Plaza

Springfield, IL 62701

The Springfield Railroad Corridor Study
Team has spent the summer developing
and analyzing preliminary alternatives that
would address the city’s increasing freight
and passenger rail traffic, which is likely
to double in the next 10 years. The study
team, led by Hanson Professional Services
Inc., has been charged with the task of
assessing the environmental, social and
economic impacts of various alternatives
in order to recommend one alternative to
the Federal Railroad Administration.

The alternatives being considered will be
presented at an open house, Tuesday,
November 16, from 4:00 — 7:00 p.m. at
the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
There will not be a formal presentation.
Attendees can come any time between the
hours listed. This facility is ADA
accessible.

The alternatives, in addition to meeting
the study’s purpose of accommodating

increasing rail traffic through Springfield,
ate also being analyzed according to the
following factors:

* Railroad companies’ input

* Resource agency input

* Public input

* Environmental impacts

* Safety

* Traffic delay

* Cost

The recommended alternative must
balance costs and impacts with the needs
of the community and the railroad
companies.

The November 16th open house is the
ptime opportunity for citizens to share
their thoughts on the study alternatives.
Attendees will have an opportunity to
identify their preferences, which will be
consideted by the study team as it works
to select a recommended alternative.

Project Schedule
{As of September 2010)

Environmental Studies

Jan. 2010

Engineering Studies
January 2010 - November 2010}
Spring 2010

4st Public Informational
Meeting - April 20, 2010

January 2010 - April 2011

es
Fall 2010

2nd Public Meeting
November 16, 2010

Spring 2011

3rd Public Meeting
Recommended Altemative


Public Engagement Update continued from pg 1
Public Open House

The first Springfield Railroad Corridor Study open house
was held on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 from 4:00 p.m. to
7:00 p.m. at the Prairie Capital Convention Center. More
than 290 people attended the public meeting: 1) 4o arn
about the study’s purpose and need, technical activities, engagement
process, and deliverables, and 2) to share their community values,
concerns and desires with the Study Team. As the first of three
public meetings, the April open house provided a compre-
hensive introduction to the study’s components, including
environmental analysis, tail safety, traffic studies, noise and
vibration, cortidor redevelopment, historic structures and
public engagement. Team members working in each of
these areas met with attendees in small groups and
responded to their questions and comments.

Comment Form Results

To captute public input in a more formal way, the Study
Team asked attendees to complete a comment form and
to visit a public input station where they could post their
thoughts about the
study for all to see. A
total of 108 comment
forms were completed.
Respondents, 86% of
whom were city
residents, indicated that
they found the open
house to be well planned
and worth their time. In addition, they characterized the
study team as informative, helpful and prepared.

A citizen completes a comment form.

On the comment form’s two open-ended questions,

respondents were able to share a wider range of

perspectives and opinions. The first question asked

what would make the study a success. Ninety-one

people answered this question and gave 21 different types

of responses. Those that received the greatest support

(in order of preference, with the last two bullets tied)

included:

* Routing Springfield’s rail (freight) traffic out of town,

* Having the study be conducted in a fair and neutral
manner,

* Keeping the community informed of the study’s
activities and findings, and

° Locating rail traffic along the city’s eastern corridors.

The second open-ended query simply asked for any

additional comments or questions. Fifty-four people

wrote their thoughts, generating 19 different types of

responses, Those that received the most support (in

order of preference, with the last three bullets tied)

included:

¢ Concern about negative noise and vibration impacts,

* Appreciation for the study team’s efforts to involve the
community,

° Suggestions for keeping the public informed about the
study,

* A desire to move rail (freight) traffic out of town, and

* Concern about the effects of increased rail traffic on
public safety.

Public Input Station Findings

Many open house attendees not only completed comment
forms, but also visited the public input station to answer
questions about their study concerns, desires and values.
Because some participants had strong affiliations with the
Third Street, Tenth Street or Nineteenth Street railroad
cortidots, they were encouraged to direct their responses
to the corridors they cated about most. They were also
given an option of answering mote broadly, which

Aitendees answer public input questions at open house station.

involved providing responses that focused on the city as a
whole. Presented on the following page are the responses
to the three questions that were most cited. Responses by
cortidor can be viewed on the study’s website.

Continued on pg 3


RAILROAD CORRIDOR STUDY

CONTENTS

Preliminary Alternatives ......... pg1
Public Engagement Update..... pg
Environmental Field Studies

Update ...... 2... eee e eens pg3
Agency Status... cccessecs ees pg 4

For more information

www. springfieldrailroad.com
info@springfieldrailroad.cam
1-877-552-5505

Follow us on Facebook:

Go to www.springfieldrailroad.com
and click on the Facebook icon. [fj

The study's first open house, held in April, was attended
by almost 300 people.

Preliminary Alternatives

The Springfield Railroad Corridor
Study Team has reviewed the input
received from the initial public
engagement activities and has been
developing and refining various
alternatives. Study alternatives
include the double-tracking of
Third Street, moving the Third
Street tracks to Tenth Street,
moving the Third and Nineteenth
Street tracks to Tenth Street, and
moving freight rail traffic out of
the City.

These general alternatives have
been further refined by adding
gtade separations and street
closures at vatious cross streets,
and possibly adding quiet zones.
Quiet zones are areas that trains
can pass through without the use
of their horns. The Study Team is
assessing the impacts of these
alternatives, including residential
and commercial displacements,
new right-of-way needs, environ-
mental impacts and costs.

Public Engagement Update
Community Presentations

During the first half of this yeat,
the Study Team made 30
presentations to advisory, neigh-
bothood, civic and business groups
actoss the Springfield community.
Working together, the team’s
technical experts and public
engagement specialists have used
the presentations to explain the
study’s purpose, process, activities
and findings to interested citizens
and community stakeholders.
Mote than 1,000 citizens have
attended these presentations,
where they have learned about the
implications of Springfield’s
increasing freight and passenger
tail traffic. Reaching such a large

numbet of people would not have
been possible without the support
and assistance of the presenta-
tions’ hosts.

To view a full list of the
organizations that hosted the
presentations, please visit the
study website,
www.sptingfieldrailroad.com,
and click on Study Presentations
and Meetings.

If you would like the Study Team
to present to your organization
ot group, email us at
info@springfieldrailroad.com

or call us at 1-877-552-5505.

Continued on pg 2


RAILROAD CORRIDOR STUDY

Springfield Railroad Corridor Study
clo Vector Communications

701 N. 15th Street

Mailbox 43

St. Louis, MO 63103

Public Engagement Update continued from pg 3

Public Information Kiosks

The Study Team has four information kiosks that
travel around the city
providing information and
background materials on the
study. These unmanned
exhibits are displayed at
libraries, local shopping
malls, area businesses,
community churches and
other places with high
pedestrian traffic. To date,
the kiosks have moved to
eight different locations

and helped to disseminate a
variety of materials includ-

ing project fact sheets, open One kiosk was located at the
Prairie Capital Convention

house letters and study
Center.

newsletters.

Agency Involvement
Update

We have received information that the
Federal Railroad Administration and the
Illinois Department of Transportation are
engaged in the Springfield Railroad
Corridor Study. The Study Team will
provide these agencies with the information
and alternatives that have been developed
to date. We plan to schedule the next

Public Open House upon their review of

this information.

If your group or organization would like to host a kiosk
for one month, please contact the Study Team at 1-877-
552-5505 or email us at info@springfieldrailroad.com. 4




RAILROAD CORRIDOR STUDY

Springfield Railroad Corridor Study
clo Vector Communications

701 N. 15th Street

Mailbox 43

St. Louis, MO 63103

NEXT OPEN HOUSE = “arpetninay

and give your input!

Tuesday, November 16
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

me ry

Prairie Capital Convention Center *
t ( fer Plaza

1 Cor


The Study Team received 186 responses to the first
question posed at the public input station, which was,
“What concerns do you have about increasing rail
traffic near where you live, work and play?” Answers
fell into 15 comment categories, with the top five
categories of concern (in order of priority) focusing on:
° Compromised
public safety,

* Damaging noise
and vibration
impacts,

° Traffic delays,

° Negative effects on
the local economy, ) s
and Participants view public comments.

*  Incteased neigh-
bothood division and destruction.

The second question asked people to articulate their
desires for railroad corridor and neighborhood
improvement. A total of 200 responses were put forth
and subsequently clustered into 16 different categories.
The top four improvement desires (in order of priority)
wete:

* Spur economic development,

¢ Route train (freight) traffic outside of town,

* Increase green space and recreation options along the
impacted corridors / neighborhoods, and

° Improve traffic flow.

The last question asked concerned the values attend-
ees thought should inform the Study Team’s decision
making on how best to accommodate Springfield’s
increasing rail traffic. Respondents posted 171
comments, which revealed 22 different values. The values
thought to be most important (in order of priority) were:
* Doing what is best for the local economy,

* Promoting public safety,

* Protecting and enhancing neighborhoods, and

¢ Improving traffic flow.

To view the open house meeting results and public input
in greater detail, visit the study’s website at
wwwspringfieldrailroad.com and click the Public Meetings
/Open Houses link.

Continued on pg 4

Environmental Field Studies Update

Noise & Vibration Studies

The Study Team collected noise and vibration measure-
ments along the study corridors in April. Over the past
few months, this information has been downloaded into
computer models that will be used to determine the
projected noise and vibration impacts to ncarby
residences and commetcial businesses. If these impacts
ate too great, noise reducing barriers and vibration
dampening techniques may be warranted.

Historic Structures

One of our local Study Team members, Fever River
Research, is completing the historic structure and
archaeological documentation within the study area and
is beginning to assemble its final report. This document
will be used to identify protected structures and sites for
avoidance purposes during our alternatives development.

Threatened & Endangered Species

Members of the Friends of Sangamon Valley contacted
the Study Team earlier this spring about the possible
presence of the state-threatened Franklin’s Ground
Squirrel within the study area. Biologists from Hanson
recently assisted the Friends of Sangamon Valley in their
ongoing research and study of the ground ao The
Team learned about the preferred yas f
habitat of the ground squirrel in the
Springfield area and even trapped

a couple of ground squirrels for
identification purposes. Hanson

is currently surveying the study

Franklin’ Growed Squirrel
cotridors for any preferred habitat «am be found in Springfield.
that ground squirrels may be using

for their colonies. The ground squirrels are one of the
longest hibernating mammals and typically begin their
hibernation towards the end of August and remain asleep
until late April.


Current and future rail traffic conditions

The anticipated increases in freight
and passenger rail traffic in the next 10
years could mean an increase of
approximately 35-40 trains a day pass-
ing through Springfield, The chart

titled Train Traffic, below, shows the
current and projected rail traffic along
the Union Pacific (3rd Street), Norfolk
Southern (10th Street), and Canadian
National (19th Street) corridors.

Train Traffic*

Current 2010

Railroads

Projected 2020

Traffic

Traffic

Union Pacific 10 Passenger 18 Passenger
Grd Street Corridor) 5 Freight 22 Freight
Norfolk Southern " 5
(10th Street Corridor) 16 Freight 24 Freight
Canadian National

(19th Street Corridor) abate STzsiehe
TOTAL 35 Trains 72 Trains

* Rail traffic can vary on a daily and seasonal basis.

New study looks at a all feasible options

from pg 1

the new Springfield Railroad Corridor
Study to determine how best to
manage the city’s growing freight

and passenger rail traffic. The study,
which is being funded by IDOT, will
evaluate the possible environmental,
social and economic impacts of dif-
ferent alternatives for accommodating
the traffic. Alternatives found to be
feasible and prudent will have their
benefits and costs analyzed and shared
with the public. The public will have
an opportunity to identify its prefer-
ences, which will be considered by the
study team as it works to select a
preferred alternative. At a minimum,
the team has agreed to study the
following two alternatives:

© Double track Third Street, or

© Move the Third Street and possibly the
Nineteenth Street trains to Tenth Street and
consolidate all of the rail traffic into one

corridor.

Locating all of the trains along the
Tenth Street corridor would require a
total of three to five tracks to handle
the increased rail traffic. The team will
also consider other feasible alterna-
tives.

At the study’s conclusion, a preferred
alternative that balances costs and
impacts with the needs of the
community and railroad companies,
will be recommended. This alternative

With the increase in rail traffic, comes
a significant increase in the amount
of time vehicles are delayed at train
crossings. Currently, vehicles spend
13,800 minutes per day, or 230 hours,
delayed at railroad crossings in Spring-
field. With the projected increases in
train traffic, vehicles will likely spend
36,000 minutes delayed at rail cross-
ings. This could mean that in 2020,
vehicles would spend almost 600
hours pet day waiting at railroad cross-
ings; almost triple the current delay.

will be described in detail in an
engineering report and an environ-
mental document. If the alternative is
approved by the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), the City will be
in a position to apply for funding to
finance the alternative’s final design and
land acquisition.

The study should be completed by mid
2011. Although it is focused on the
area between Stanford Avenue (on the
south) and Sangamon Avenue (on the
north), anyone who is interested in or
impacted by its activities is encouraged
to get involved. An extensive public
involvement program is offering
numerous opportunities for citizens to
provide their input and stay informed.

3


Study Team

Hanson Professional Services Inc,
is leading the Springfield Railroad
Corridor Study. It is responsible for
developing and assessing different
alternatives that can best address
increasing freight and passenger rail
traffic through Springfield. Hanson
and its study team members have
the necessary professional qualifica-
tions and certifications to prepare
an Environmental Impact State-
ment, which is what this railroad
corridor study likely requires.

Hanson has retained Vector
Communications Corporation,

a public engagement and commu-
nications consulting firm, to lead
the study's community involve-
ment and outreach efforts. Vector
will help ensure that there are open
lines of communication between
the study team and the public so
that residents, business owners and
elected officials can give their input
throughout the study.

Other members of the study team
are listed below:

Springfield-Sangamon County
Regional Planning
Commission is performing
traffic analysis.

Campbell Technology
Corporation is conducting train
ctossing safety studies.

RDG Planning and Design is
preparing corridor redevelopment
analysis.

Harris Miller Miller &
Hanson Inc. is conducting noise
and vibration analyses.

Fever River Research is complet-
ing historic structure and archaco-
logical studies.

Railroad study is Environmental Impact
Statement, follows detailed federal guidelines

The Springfield Railroad Corridor
Study is distinct from previous railroad
studies in that it is an Environmental
Impact Statement or EIS. As part of
the EIS, the study team will evaluate
reasonable alternatives that meet

the project’s purpose and need for
accommodating increasing rail traffic
through Springfield.

The study will assess the costs,
benefits and environmental

impacts of each of the final study
alternatives to determine which one
is most reasonable. The final result
will be the recommendation of a
pteferred alternative that respects

the environment; considers public
safety and mobility; and complements
community goals and plans.

This recommendation will be
presented as an EIS, which includes
the environmental documentation,

STUDY COMPONENTS

and an engineering report. It will be
submitted to the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), the lead
federal agency for the study. The
FRA will determine which alternative
gets selected and built. However,
even though the FRA will select the
alternative that should be built, it
cannot force the railroads to relocate
their train traffic to different tracks if
they do not choose to do so.

The entire study is guided by protocols
established under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
These protocols require the study to
have five primary components:
purpose and need, affected
environment, alternatives analysis,
environmental consequences and
pteferred alternative. A brief
description of each is provided below.

Alternatives Analysis

Evaluates all reasonable
alternatives that fulfill the

study’s purpose

Purpose
& Need

° Establish
study’s main

Affected
Environment

which alternatives
significantly affect
environment

Environmental
Consequences

+ Asse alematves balances costs and

community,
historic and

archaeological
sites, noise and
vibration, flood

plains, endangered Ly @ ~
” \

© Determines extent to

Alte

¢ Identifies the
alternative that best

impacts with the
needs of the
community and
railroad companies

y <N

ffects on



Spring 2010, Issue 1

CONTENTS

Railroad corridor study is
Environmental Impact Statement .. pg 2

Current and Future Rail Conditions . pg 3

Open house to take place on
April 20

For more information
www.springfieldrailroad.com

info@springfieldrailroad.com
1-877-552-5505

Follow us on Facebook:
Go to www. springfieldrailroad.com
and click on the facebook icon. i

Study Map

The limits of the study are Stanford
Avenue on the south and Sangamon
Avenue on the north.

New study looks at feasible options for
managing rail traffic through Springfield

Springfield is a city that grew up
atound its rail lines and was, at
one time, an important railroad
junction, Almost all of the people
and goods coming into and out of
the City were carried by rail. The
situation at the beginning of the
Twenty-first Century is vastly
different. The City has signifi-
cantly fewer rail lines; people
arrive mostly by car or plane; and
almost all of the products sold or
used in Springfield move by truck.

A vestige of Springfield’s rail-
centric past is that there are cur-
rently three north-south railroad
corridors that run through the
City. Generally speaking, these
cotridots are Third Street, Tenth
Street and Nineteenth Street. All
of these corridors cteate physi-
cal and psychological bartiers in
the neighborhoods they divide.
Roadway-tailroad at-grade
crossings are, by definition,
hazardous intersections. There
are currently 73 at-grade crossings
in the study area, which create
traffic congestion and safety issues
when they are blocked by trains.

In the next 10 years, railroad
traffic through the City of Spring-
field could more than double.

This means more traffic delays
where the rail lines cross local
streets, increased safety risks, and
more noise and vibration along
the rail corridors. For some areas,
it could mean disturbances to
residential life as well as to
business operations and
productivity.

The increase in rail traffic is due in
part because Union Pacific
Railroad plans to construct a new
intermodal rail yard near Joliet.

If Union Pacific’s business grows
as the company hopes, there will
eventually be up to 22 freight
trains on its Third Street line
each day. Additionally, the Illinois
Department of Transportation
(IDOT) has applied for federal
funding to construct a high speed
(110 mph) rail line from Chicago
to St. Louis that will pass through
Springfield, also on the Third
Street track. The combination of
these 18 passenger trains with
Union Pacific’s freight trains will
require a second track on Third
Street to accommodate a total of
40 trains per day.

The City of Springfield and
Sangamon County are conducting

continues on pg 3