CenterPoint Intermodal Center

CenterPoint Intermodal Center is an intermodal freight terminal located in Elwood, Illinois. It is considered the largest inland port in North America.[1]

The Intermodal Center includes a 785-acre Union Pacific Railroad complex just south of Joliet and a 770-acre BNSF Railway complex further to the southwest.[2] The facility's location was formerly part of the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant. Construction of the Intermodal Center began as part of the Joliet Arsenal redevelopment effort after 2000.[3] The village of Elwood supported this with $150 million of TIF funding.[4]

Local concerns

As the freight traffic from Centerpoint grew, neighboring communities began to complain of safety, traffic and noise impacts. In 2014 the Village of Elwood attempted to enforce designated truck routes, but Centerpoint fought this in court.[5]

Elwood has also sued Centerpoint regarding the use of their TIF funds, claiming that the project has generated less revenue and fewer jobs than promised.[6] Mayor Bill Offerman explained, "Instead of a vibrant retail base, good-paying jobs and needed tax dollars that it promised, CenterPoint has given us a barrage of heavy truck traffic that puts residents in harm's way, low-paying warehouse jobs that make it impossible for middle-class families to live on and a mere fraction of the revenue it touted (the village) would receive in return."[7]

References
  1. "Governor Quinn Breaks Ground on New Shipping Facility in Joliet Intermodal Park". Illinois.gov. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  2. "The Mullen Presentation" (PDF). Northwestern University Transportation Center. 23 February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  3. "About JADA". Jada.org. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. Reiher, Nick (7 February 2013). "Elwood sues CenterPoint over TIF dollars for intermodal". Bugle Newspapers. Archived from the original on 11 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. Healy, Vikki Ortiz (9 July 2014). "Small town Elwood fights big-time truck traffic". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. "Elwood sues industrial developer over incentives deal". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  7. Ori, Ryan (17 June 2015). "Village amps up fight against CenterPoint". Crain's Chicago Business: Chicago Real Estate Daily.

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