Regional Transportation Plans Get Review

By Kevin Robinson in News on Mar 30, 2009 3:40PM

Democrat Jim Oberstar, the Minnesota Congressman who heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was in Chicago Friday to review some of the area's proposed transportation projects. Local politicians hope that those proposed project will make it into the final version of a proposed $500 billion federal transportation bill.

According to Crain's Chicago Business, Oberstar met with Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig and 3rd District Congressman Dan Lipinski, to discuss the CREATE Rail Modernization Program project, which is designed to eliminate freight rail bottlenecks, and the Central Avenue Bypass, which has been under discussion since the 1970's. The Bypass is designed to relieve congestion on Harlem and Cicero avenues, and would link Burbank with Bedford Park and Chicago via Central Avenue. Currently, railroad yards prevent a through-traffic on Central between roughly 74th and 65th Streets. The project has been a major issue around Garfield Ridge and surrounding communities for years.

Oberstar also met with Metra and and Chicago officials to discuss transit projects. He closed out his visit to Chicago by headlining a fundraiser for Lipinski.