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Archive for the ‘EJ&E/Canadian National’ Category

U.S. Route 14 Underpass Update | Nov. 5, 2026

Posted in Aunt Blabby, EJ&E/Canadian National, IDOT, Road construction, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on November 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Over the past month, crews have coordinated the following work:

  • Railroad bridge construction.Crews substantially completed the north bridge abutment (the structural element at each end of a bridge) and have poured the concrete for the center bridge pier. Following curing time and removal of formwork from these two areas, sheeting and excavation work for the south bridge abutment will begin later this month.
  • Storm sewer installation.Crews installed a substantial section of storm sewer along Route 14 between Hough Street and Shorely Wood Properties, which will convey stormwater from the bottom of the underpass to the Illinois Department of Transportation storm sewer pump station to keep the roadway dry in inclement weather.
  • Continued work on the storm sewer pump station.With building work largely complete, crews continue with electrical and HVAC work to support the facility.
  • Route 59 culvert construction, a storm sewer that will carry the relocated Flint Creek beneath the roadway.Crews completed the western half of the Route 59 culvert. The culvert has been backfilled to prepare for installation of curb and roadway base material next week, followed by paving and striping work in mid-November. Once this work is complete, the contractor will coordinate a change to the traffic pattern, shifting traffic onto the west side of Hough Street and closing the east side, which will allow for the second half of the culvert to be constructed this winter.
  • Initiated access drive work at Shorely Wood. Crews began demolition and grading work to support a new Shorely Wood entrance drive location. Permanent paving work will be coordinated within Shorely Wood over the next few weeks. Traffic will shift to the new access location following this final paving work and the installation of a temporary drive extension to the temporary Route 14 roadway. This traffic shift is currently anticipated to take place before Thanksgiving.

Alerts will be shared ahead of any changes to traffic patterns, along with revised traffic pattern visuals.

To stay informed and receive project updates, please visit the dedicated project website us14underpass.com or watch for email notifications.

 

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Who Decides What Old Sutton Road Becomes

Posted in BACOG, Bicyclists, Cook, County, EJ&E/Canadian National, Ethics, FPDCC, Guest Essay, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, OP/Ed, Politics, Privacy, Property Rights, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Spring Creek Watershed, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Traffic, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Zoning Board on October 26, 2026| 7 Comments »

(Please click on image to enlarge)

Community update on Cook County zoning | October 26, 2026

Neighbors along Old Sutton and Penny Roads are asking how much commercial truck activity this residential corridor can accommodate. Cook County is considering a request to park up to 50 dump trucks south of Penny Road. A group of us is also examining earlier special-use approvals and a separate truck-terminal rezoning request. We want the County to consider their combined effects on roads, homes and natural areas, with supporting evidence in the public record.

Who has zoning authority

The 50-truck site at 15N803 Old Sutton Road is unincorporated Cook County land zoned R-1 Single-Family Residence. Cook County’s zoning ordinance governs this application, not the zoning ordinances of Barrington Hills or South Barrington. A nearby village address does not change that. The County Zoning Board of Appeals makes written findings and a recommendation; the Cook County Board of Commissioners makes the final decision. Neighboring villages can object, but cannot veto this zoning request. Applicable road, environmental, health and other laws still apply. A separate annexation dispute involves other parcels.

What is being requested

Cases SU-26-0002 and VA-26-0017 involve approximately 4.4 acres. Cristobal Rodriguez and Lorena Galvez petitioned to park up to 50 dump trucks: six for their business and 44 additional spaces. They also seek an accessory-building height variance from 15 feet to 20 feet 2 inches. These uses require County zoning relief; R-1 status alone does not authorize them. The September 23, 2026 hearing was held. We have not confirmed a final County Board decision.

What residents have put on the record

Cook County published a compilation of 22 objection letters. Seventeen cited traffic and safety, 15 zoning compatibility, 14 noise or residential character, 11 environmental concerns, 10 sensitive locations, 9 road conditions and 7 property values. Each letter could raise more than one issue; these counts describe concerns, not established harm. Barrington Hills formally objected, residents of both Barrington Hills and South Barrington submitted objections, and South Barrington’s mayor publicized the hearing.

What else is happening along the corridor

Husky Trans, Inc. separately sought to rezone approximately 15.6 acres at 15 Old Sutton Road and 545 Penny Road from R-1 to C-4 commercial and I-4 motor-freight-terminal districts (MA-25-0002). Cook County deferred the application in October 2025; no final rezoning approval has been verified.

Barrington Hills’ 2024 annexation of roughly 44 acres nearby is under litigation. A trial court invalidated it, an appellate court reversed in September 2025, and the Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments September 24, 2026. We have not confirmed a final ruling. This is distinct from the 15N803 County application.

We are also tracing historic special uses at 191 and 193 Penny Road and 15N272, 15N365 and 15N701 Old Sutton Road. Our working map covers more than 200 acres under study, but that does not mean 200 acres have commercial or Special Use approval. Current ownership, permitted acreage and a recently identified parcel still require verification.

Why the combined picture matters

Old Sutton Road is narrow, unlit and without shoulders, yet it serves residents, cyclists and equestrians. Truck counts, vehicle weights, routes and hours matter across all nearby operations, not only on the applicant’s lot. So do noise and neighboring residential property use.

The 2010 MWRD watershed plan modeled flooding at the Penny Road crossing of Spring Creek. That does not establish runoff from this truck site. It does raise practical questions about grading, drainage outlets, downstream capacity and spill controls near forest-preserve habitat and private wells. Water leaving one lot still enters a shared system.

Cook County Section 13.8.9(A) requires written findings on health and safety, nearby property use and values, roads, drainage, traffic and County compliance. We want to see how those standards are supported while accounting for existing operations and pending proposals.

What we need to accomplish together

A credible County record, and any possible later legal review, needs evidence more specific than general opposition. We are collecting:

  • Recorded permits, approved acreage, current owners and exact authorized activities.
  • Dated traffic observations, truck routes, road measurements and operating hours.
  • Flood photographs, engineering and drainage studies, receiving-system capacity and groundwater information.
  • Qualified environmental, noise and property-value analysis, with clear sources.

We will ask the County to disclose its studies and explain each required finding. Credible records and expert testimony are essential; no evidence can promise a particular County or court outcome.

Please share questions information or ideas

If you live nearby, know these properties, have records or photographs, or have an idea for helping, please contact me. Different views are welcome. Our objective is a factual public record and a thorough Cook County review of this corridor.

 – Robin Duggan  |  Barrington Hills resident  |  rduggan@2gcinc.com

Public records and source documents

Cook County Zoning Ordinance Sections 3.3 and 13.8
County ZBA hearing application materials
County compilation of 22 objection letters
Barrington Hills formal objection
Husky rezoning request and deferral
Illinois Supreme Court oral argument docket 132527
MWRD watershed plans and reports

Related: “Status update on 15N803 Old Sutton Road petitions for Special Use and Variance with the Cook County Zoning Board of Appeals“

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Status update on 15N803 Old Sutton Road petitions for Special Use and Variance with the Cook County Zoning Board of Appeals

Posted in Cook, County, EJ&E/Canadian National, FPDCC, Hoffman Estates, Land Use, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Property Rights, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Roads and Bridges, School Districts, South Barrington, Traffic, Transparency, Village Clerk, Village Code, Zoning Board on October 25, 2026| 3 Comments »

15N803 Old Sutton Road via Google Maps

On September 18th we posted information regarding a Cook County Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing regarding an unincorporated Cook County property near the Village border taking place September 23, 2026. This was in addition to a previous post by the Village on September 15th.

Information currently available regarding the September 23rd public hearing include:

Minutes from the Zoning Board Hearing have been posted and state only that testimony was taken.

Audio recordings from the September 28th Barrington Hills Board of Trustees meeting (found here) reveal that apparently objections to the application, as well as the application itself, were not sufficiently made available to the public to review prior to the September 23rd hearing. Therefore, continuation of the hearing was postponed until (at least) January 2027.

Further, it was not decided it additional objections would be admissible in to the record considering original objections were not fully made public. If additional comments/objections are allowed, we will notify readers.

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Traffic Alert: Intermittent Road Closures on Route 14 and Lake Zurich Road Oct. 10–11

Posted in Community Alerts, EJ&E/Canadian National, Traffic on October 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Per the Village of Barrington:

Canadian National Railway (CN) is scheduled to deliver stone by specialized train to the Route 14 underpass project site tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11.

As the train moves slowly through the construction zone to unload the stone, it will intermittently block the CN railroad crossings at Route 14 and Lake Zurich Road, resulting in temporary road closures. The train is expected to arrive around noon each day and remain on-site for approximately four hours, schedule permitting.

  • Route 14 Temporary Closure

When the train blocks the Route 14 CN railroad crossing, the roadway will be temporarily closed between Main Street and Route 59 (Hough Street). A signed detour will be in place, and Barrington police officers will be on-site to help direct traffic.

  • Lake Zurich Road Temporary Closure

Lake Zurich Road will also be temporarily closed at the CN railroad crossing while the train blocks the tracks.

During this time, businesses on Route 14 north of Main Street and south of the CN tracks, including the library and Citizens Park, can be accessed from the south.

Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area during these times, if possible, and allow extra travel time.

The Village will share any schedule updates received from CN. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this work.

 

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Elderly woman gets confused and drives down railroad tracks, causing trains to be halted in Barrington

Posted in EJ&E/Canadian National, Jewel-Osco, Lake & McHenry County Scanner, Roads & Bridges Committee on September 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Police respond and help remove an SUV from the Union Pacific Northwest line railroad tracks after a driver became confused and drove onto the tracks behind Jewel-Osco, 150 West Main Street in Barrington, on September 19. | Photo: Nick Rusin

By Sam Borcia | Lake & McHenry County Scanner

An elderly woman became confused and began driving down the railroad tracks in downtown Barrington, causing train traffic to be temporarily halted, officials said.

The Barrington Police Department responded around 4 p.m. on September 19 to the area of Jewel-Osco, 150 West Main Street in Barrington, for a report of a vehicle on the tracks.

Police respond and help remove an SUV from the Union Pacific Northwest line railroad tracks after a driver became confused and drove onto the tracks behind Jewel-Osco, 150 West Main Street in Barrington, on September 19. | Photo: Nick Rusin

The Metra Police Department was also dispatched to the scene due to the incident happening within their jurisdiction.

Barrington Police Chief David Daigle said officers received a call for a vehicle that drove westbound onto the train tracks behind the Jewel-Osco.

Police respond and help remove an SUV from the Union Pacific Northwest line railroad tracks after a driver became confused and drove onto the tracks behind Jewel-Osco, 150 West Main Street in Barrington, on September 19. | Photo: Nick Rusin

He said that the elderly female driver apparently became confused while driving her black Honda CR-V.

A Barrington police officer was able to reverse the Honda approximately 200 yards back to Hough Street to get it off the tracks, Daigle said.

Report continues here.

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Never Mind: CN Railroad Crossing Closures POSTPONED

Posted in Barrington Area Library, Community Alerts, EJ&E/Canadian National, Goat Rodeo, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on September 24, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Latest from the Barrington Area Library:

“In our previous e-mail newsletter, we told you about a proposed closure of the CN railroad crossings at Route 14 and Lake Zurich Road,
scheduled for the coming weekend. 

We have received word from the Village of Barrington that those closures have been postponed. We apologize for any confusion. Watch for updates from the Village with the new dates for the work on the crossings.”

Related: “Weekend CN Railroad Crossing Closure Alert in Barrington”

 

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PUBLIC HEARING: Unincorporated Cook County property off Old Sutton Rd on county Zoning Board of Appeals agenda September 23rd

Posted in Cook, County, EJ&E/Canadian National, FPDCC, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Politics, Public Hearing, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Special Use Permits, Topics Of Interest on September 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

15N803 Old Sutton Road according to Google Maps

CASE NUMBERS: SU-26-0002 & VA-26-0017
HEARING DATE: September 23, 2026
TIME: 11 AM (see agenda)
LOCATION OF HEARING: 69 W. Washington, 22nd Floor, Chicago, IL

“Lenny Asaro, acting on behalf of Cristobal Rodriguez and Lorena Galvez, has petitioned the Zoning Board of Appeals for a Special Use for a Unique Use (SU-26-0002) with a companion Variance (VA-26-0017) to the zoning requirements of the R-1 Single Family Residence District. The applicant is requesting a SU/UU to operate a commercial truck parking business for 50 dump trucks. If the companion SU/UU is granted, the applicant is also requesting a companion VA to increase the height of an accessory structure from the maximum allowed 15 feet to a proposed 20 feet 2 inches. The subject property is located within the 15th District with the common address 15N803 Old Sutton Road, Barrington, IL. 60164.”

The Zoning Board of Appeals agenda can be viewed here.

Per a recent post by the Village of Barrington Hills:

“Members of the public wishing to submit comment may do so by emailing their comment directly to Cook County’s ZBA by Monday, September 21, 2026. Comment will be accepted until 12:00 PM (Noon): ZBA.emails@cookcountyil.gov. Do not email the Village, as it will not be forwarded to Cook County on your behalf.”

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From the Chicago suburbs to short line railroad companies, proposed merger heightens concerns

Posted in BACOG, Chicago Tribune, EJ&E/Canadian National, Politics, Road construction, TRAC, Traffic, U.S. Route 14 Underpass on September 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A Canadian National freight train stops traffic along U.S. Route 14 on Aug. 6, 2026, in Barrington. An underpass is being constructed at this location to allow traffic to flow better. The underpass is expected to be completed in late 2027. | Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune

By John Lippert | For the Chicago Tribune

When Karen Darch started agitating in 2007 for an underpass so U.S. Route 14 can pass beneath the Canadian National railroad tracks in Barrington, she had six children and no grandkids.

Nineteen years later, as workers are shattering the affluent quiet of her suburban street by pounding retaining walls for the underpass into place, she has seven grandchildren.

Darch says she can’t say how many grandchildren she’ll have when the half-mile, $94 million underpass is finally complete, hopefully by the end of next year.

But now, Darch is confronting a problem that could aggravate her grandchildren for decades to come.

That problem is a new round of mergers that’s putting the ownership structure of North American railroads through a blender and triggering a prolonged period of tension and uncertainty.

Union Pacific, in tandem with its $85 billion takeover bid for Norfolk Southern, has agreed to start running more trains over Canadian National’s suburban Chicago network. At the outset, this will include rerouting some trains now running through inner-city Chicago.

Former Barrington Village President Karen Darch stands near construction for the new U.S. Route 14 underpass on Aug. 6, 2026, in Barrington. Darch spent years seeking solutions like this underpass to rail-induced traffic problems. The underpass will be routed under freight train rails where currently traffic gets blocked several times a day. | Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune

Darch, an attorney who served as Barrington’s village president for 20 years until last year, says she believes that sooner or later, the railroads will build a second freight track through Barrington, a suburb 35 miles northwest of Chicago. That’s because Canadian National has already spent years double-tracking the line to within 10 miles south of Barrington, she said.

In theory, rail experts say, this second track could mean dozens of additional Canadian National and Union Pacific freight trains rolling each day through downtown Barrington at 40 miles an hour, up from 20 currently.

That’s in addition to the  50,000 cars and trucks that converge on Barrington each day, and 800 daily school bus trips. Barrington also attracts 70 Metra commuter trains per day. Each of these blocks the main north-south and east-west streets through downtown for a few minutes as passengers come and go.

“If they build another track, there’s going to be a much greater impact than we’re feeling now, so more has to happen in response. We may need another underpass, or maybe two other underpasses,” said Darch in an interview last month. “And a greater portion of the funding should come from businesses that are benefiting from traveling the rail.”

Report continues here.

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Proposed 185-Acre Data Center in Hoffman Estates by Karis Critical Cancelled as Firm Bows Out

Posted in AI, BACOG, Cook, County, Data Center, EJ&E/Canadian National, FPDCC, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, News Media, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Unions on July 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Courtesy Construction Review

By Joel Mairura | Construction Review

The proposed 185-acre data center in Hoffman Estates by Karis Critical has been cancelled as the firm bows out. The firm has withdrawn its request to rezone land for the controversial data center project in Illinois. Its scope entailed being constructed at the edge of the village of Hoffman Estates’ municipal boundaries. Moreover, it would have bordered the nearby areas of South Barrington and Barrington Hills.

However, it raised serious questions about how the neighboring towns, which have no official say in decision making, are impacted by such projects (?). “After several weeks of conversations with the Village and residents, we’ve decided the right step is to withdraw the current rezoning request,” Karis Critical spokesman Patrick Skarr said.

“We heard the feedback clearly, including the call for a more specific plan before any rezoning. We’ll take the time to get that right. Should we bring a proposal forward in the future, the Village and the community will have the details they need to evaluate it fully and on its merits.” Residents have always been against the project as shown by a recent public hearing where they showed up in numbers. Despite bowing out, other data centers across the US are still advancing such as “Project Marvel” in Bessemer which QTS has been identified as its developer.

The proposed 185-acre data center in Hoffman Estates by Karis Critical has been cancelled as the firm bows out. | Courtesy Construction Review

Factors Leading to Opposition of Proposed Data Center in Hoffman Estates

One of the major factors that led to opposition of the proposed data center in Hoffman Estate was transparency concerns. When the Plan Commission held its meeting, discussion was limited to the issue of rezoning the site from traditional neighborhood and commercial mixed-use districts to a manufacturing district. Moreover, residents were told there were no specific site plans for a data center project.

Other residents had concerns about the impacts of a large-scale data center on traffic, noise and light pollution and air quality. Hoffman Estates has two other data centers under construction. However, they are in areas already zoned for manufacturing that residents said are more appropriate than the residential area near forest preserves.

“Nobody here is saying, ‘Don’t do a data center,’ everyone’s saying, ‘Don’t do it here,’” Barrington Hills resident Karen Trzaska said. A public records request seeking communication from village stuff about the project also revealed much. It noted that the project had been in discussion as early as 18 months ago, raising more concerns on the project’s transparency.

Article continues here.

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“Petitioner withdraws rezoning application for Plum Farms property”

Posted in BACOG, Data Center, EJ&E/Canadian National, FPDCC, Goat Rodeo, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Plum Farm development, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Unions on July 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Per a Village of Hoffman Estates release:

“On June 30, 2026, H.E. Holdings, LLC, owner of the property at 4800 W. Higgins Road, (commonly known as “Plum Farms” and hereafter referred to as the ‘Subject Property’) notified the Village of Hoffman Estates in writing that it has withdrawn its application to rezone the three lots that comprise the Subject Property to the Village’s M-2 zoning district. As a result of this withdrawal, the existing zoning of the Subject Property will remain in place (Lot 1: TN, Lots 2 & 3: C-MU).

The withdrawn petition for rezoning will not be considered by the Village Board at the July 6, 2026, Village Board Meeting. Any application for zoning changes to the Subject Property by the current or future owners will require a new application. Future applications concerning the Subject Property will be required to start at the beginning of the zoning amendment process outlined in the Village Code.

The public hearing scheduled for July 6, 2026, to consider the termination of the annexation agreement governing the property at 4800 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates, has been canceled.”

Source

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