The Gospel According to Barrington

One of the more entertaining groups opposed to the CN/EJ&E acquisition is a group calling itself "Fight Rail Congestion" dot com. Of course this is a group that has done absolutely nothing to reduce rail congestion, they are just opposed to having it in their back yards as opposed to my back yard.

But for the sake of argument let's examine their version of national transportation policy. In their recent full page ads in the Chicago Tribune, which incidentally were printed on newsprint produced in Canada, this anti-CN group made this remarkable statement of policy,

"If this deal isn't approved, it won't mean that goods won't get to market. It just means that they won't get there a few hours faster."

So according to this bunch,

* Transit time is NOT important.

* Delay time is NOT important.

* The cost of delays is NOT important.

OK, but in all fairness folks why stop with just the EJ&E route, why stop in just Barrington and Lake Zurich? In all fairness let's apply what I will call the "Barrington Formula" to regional transportation policy.

If you sincerely believe in the "Barrington Formula" then here's what our regional transportation policy would look like.

No moderization and expansion of O'Hare International Airport. No planning for the expansion of the Gary-Chicago Airport. No planning for another regional airport in Peotone, IL.

If you believe in the "Barrington Formula", then here are some additional steps that need to be taken immediately.

Stop the widening of I-294, the Tri-State Tollway immediately. Cancel all plans for the widening of I-55 in Will County, between Bolingbrook and Joliet (are you listening Will County Board?). And according to the "Barrington Formula" the southern extension of I-355 should have never been built, since delays are NOT important.

And with all the trucks (and freight) that travel on the rebuilt Kingery Expressway in the southern suburbs, that project was clearly a major mistake according to the "Barrington Formula".

If you believe in the "Barrington Formula" the Joliet Army Arsenal would still be a giant hazardous waste dump waiting to be cleaned up instead of a high-powered engine of regional economic growth.

Remember, according to Fight Rail Congestion dot com, getting something there a few hours (or days or weeks) later does NOT matter, as long as it gets there eventually.

Is this really the economic future we want for the Northeast Illinois region? I certainly hope not.