Record #: SO2022-2450   
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
Intro date: 7/20/2022 Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Transportation and Public Way
Final action: 9/21/2022
Title: Acquisition of various parcels on portions of S Rockwell St, S California Ave, S Fairfield Ave, S Washtenaw Ave, W Columbus Ave and S Western Ave for Belt Railway Company of Chicago construction of grade-separated crossing at W Columbus Ave
Sponsors: Lightfoot, Lori E.
Topic: PROPERTY - Acquisition
Attachments: 1. SO2022-2450.pdf, 2. O2022-2450.pdf
SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago ("City'") is a home rule unit of government by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970, and as such, may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to an ordinance (the "1928 Ordinance"-) passed by the City Council ofthe City (the "City Council") on July 11, 1928, and published in the Journal of the Proceedings of the City Council (the "Journal") for such date at pages 3310, et seq, the City authorized and required the Belt Railway Company of Chicago ("Belt Railway") to elevate its track and construct a grade separated crossing of its tracks over Columbus Avenue, in the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, beginning with a Joint Statement of Understandings ("JSOU") in 2003, the Chicago Regional Environmental and Transportation Efficiency ("CREATE") Program has resulted in joint and coordinated projects by and among the Class 1 freight railroads (including CSX), Amtrak, Metra, the Illinois Department of Transportation ("IDOT'), Cook County and the Chicago Department of Transportation ("CDOT") to restructure, modernize and expand the freight and passenger rail facilities and public highway systems and reduce environmental and social impacts of rail operations in the Chicago metropolitan area; and

WHEREAS, the grade separation of the Belt Railway line and Columbus Avenue was never constructed as required; and

WHEREAS, IDOT, CDOT, and the Belt Railway have agreed upon an alternative plan to construct a grade separation in the same location in order to separate the grades of rail traffic from surface street traffic at that location with the purpose of improving traffic safety and reducing delays and-other negative impacts of traffic; and

WHEREAS, as part ofthe CREATE Program, IDOT, CDOT and Belt Railway propose to construct such a bridge and viaduct as agreed ("Project"); and

WHEREAS, the Belt Railway agrees to maintain ...

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