CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) and some allies on City Council used a procedural maneuver to block Norfolk Southern Railway from moving forward with a plan to expand its existing yard in Englewood on Wednesday.
The expansion would require Norfolk Southern to buy up the streets and alleys between two sets of its tracks from Garfield Boulevard to 59th Street. Taylor, though, said the company hasn’t kept its promises to hire more African American companies and workers, nor has it involved the neighborhood in its process.
“Well I’m not going to sign off onto anything, and I’m going to continue to push back until they meet the community, [and] they say, ‘OK, these are the things that we promised, and we’re going to make good on it.’” she said. “Too often, that happens.”
Company officials were not talking after the City Council meeting, but Taylor said she expects Norfolk Southern to meet with the community before next month — the soonest time another vote could take place.
“They don't have a choice,” said the alderwoman. “They wanted this passed. By the next time that we come back to City Council, this agreement should be done. I do have the Black Caucus standing behind that are helping me with this negotiation, because it’s just been a disrespect to me and the community.”
Taylor previously blocked a vote on the plan for several months as she tried to get the railroad to study the health effects of the project.
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