Great Lakes Basin Transportation Inc. unveiled a proposal for an alternative rail route that wouldn't run through Boone County.
The company originally proposed a 281-mile railway that would bypass Chicago's congested freight lines. However, this plan faced opposition from Boone County residents. A letter opposing the project cited loss of livability, land, and water quality, as well as an increase in noise and insurance costs.
In response, project investors submitted a new route to the US Surface Transportation Board. It avoids Boone County, but would run southwest of Rockford's airport campus. The Register-Star reports land near this campus could develop into an industrial park served by the new route.
The company's chief legal and administrative officer, Mike Blaszak, says federal review of the route and required environmental analysis could last through 2019.
More information on the project can be found at Great Lakes Basin Transportation's website.