Get Involved

Make Your Voice Heard

Calling an elected official can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it before. However keep in mind that you’ll probably get voicemail or speak with a staff member whose job is to hear from constituents.

You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to know every detail of the project. And you definitely don’t need a polished speech.

Tell them you live in or care about Bridgeport. Tell them you oppose Amtrak’s proposed 24/7 maintenance facility at the Canal Street Yard and want their help stopping the project from moving forward at this location.

We encourage you to both call and write. A phone call lets an office know that constituents are paying attention right now. Following up through an official contact form puts your position in writing.

What We’re Asking

We are asking our elected officials to oppose Amtrak’s proposed 24/7 Midwest Maintenance Facility at the Canal Street Yard and take action to stop the project from moving forward in Bridgeport.

We support investment in passenger rail, modernization of Amtrak’s facilities, and the jobs that come with that investment. We oppose locating this facility next to Bridgeport homes and Armour Square Park.

Ask your elected officials to:

• Oppose locating the Midwest Maintenance Facility at the Canal Street Yard.

• Call on Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration to stop the Bridgeport project and pursue an appropriate alternative location.

• Oppose construction or other irreversible work at the Canal Street site.

• Find out what environmental review was completed and make the documentation public.

• Determine what alternative sites were considered and why Canal Street Yard was selected.

• Find out what potential air-quality, noise, vibration, traffic, spill, emergency-response, and other community impacts were studied.

• Determine what information elected officials received about the proposed facility when federal funding was sought.

• Ask why Bridgeport residents were brought into the process only after plans for the project were already well underway.

• Help obtain and make public the environmental-review, site-selection, and alternatives documentation.

Contact Your Elected Officials

Contact Governor Pritzker

Office of the Governor - Chicago
555 W. Monroe St., 16th Floor
Chicago, IL 60661

Phone: 312-814-2121 or 312-814-2122

Senator Tammy Duckworth

Chicago: (312) 886-3506
Washington, D.C.: (202) 224-2854

Write to Senator Duckworth:
Email Senator Tammy Duckworth

Senator Dick Durbin

Chicago: (312) 353-4952
Washington, D.C.: (202) 224-2152

Write to Senator Durbin:
Contact Senator Dick Durbin

Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García

Southwest Chicago: (773) 475-0833
Washington, D.C.: (202) 225-8203

Write to Congressman García:
Email Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García

Congressman Mike Quigley

Chicago: (773) 267-5926
Washington, D.C.: (202) 225-4061

Write to Congressman Quigley:
Contact Congressman Mike Quigley

Congressman Danny K. Davis

Chicago: (773) 533-7520
Washington, D.C.: (202) 225-5006

Write to Congressman Davis:
Contact Congressman Danny K. Davis

Alderman Nicole Lee, 11th Ward

11th Ward Office: (773) 254-6677
Email: ward11@cityofchicago.org

Ald. Nicole Lee has publicly opposed locating the facility in Bridgeport. Thank her for standing with residents, and ask what steps she and her office are taking now to help stop the project.

Ask whether she has called on Amtrak and the FRA to abandon the Canal Street location, what authority the City of Chicago may have over construction or related work, and how she is working with city, state, and federal officials to prevent the project from moving forward.

Not Sure What to Say? Use This Phone Script

You can read this word for word or make it your own:

Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m a Bridgeport/Armour Square/Chinatown/Douglas/Bronzeville resident or Chicago resident/Illinois constituent. I’m calling about Amtrak’s proposed 24/7 maintenance facility at the Canal Street Yard in Bridgeport.

I’m asking [OFFICIAL’S NAME] to oppose this project and help stop Amtrak from building the facility at the Canal Street Yard.

I support investment in passenger rail and modernizing Amtrak’s facilities. But I oppose locating a major 24/7 maintenance operation next to Bridgeport homes and Armour Square Park.

Residents have serious concerns about air pollution, noise and vibration, nighttime operations, traffic, spill and emergency risks, and the environmental review conducted for this location. We also want to know what alternative locations were considered and why Canal Street was selected.

Please ask Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration to stop the Bridgeport project and pursue an appropriate alternative location.

I’d also like your office to help obtain and make public the environmental-review and site-selection records for this project.

Thank you.

Got Voicemail? That’s Fine.

Leave your name, ZIP code, and phone number. Keep it simple:

Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m a constituent calling about Amtrak’s proposed 24/7 maintenance facility in Bridgeport.

I’m asking [OFFICIAL’S NAME] to oppose the Canal Street location and help stop this project from moving forward. A facility of this scale should not be built next to homes and Armour Square Park.

Please call me back at [NUMBER]. Thank you.

Prefer to Write?

Copy the message below into the official’s online contact form. Personalize it if you can. Tell them how close you live to the proposed facility, how long you’ve lived in Bridgeport, whether you use Armour Square Park, or what specifically concerns you.

Subject: Please Oppose Amtrak’s Proposed Bridgeport Maintenance Facility

I am writing as a constituent to ask you to oppose Amtrak’s proposed 24/7 Midwest Maintenance Facility at the Canal Street Yard in Bridgeport and help stop the project from moving forward at this location.

I support investment in passenger rail, modernization of Amtrak’s facilities, and the jobs associated with that investment. I oppose locating a major 24/7 maintenance operation next to Bridgeport homes and Armour Square Park.

Residents have serious concerns about air pollution, noise and vibration, nighttime operations, traffic, spill and emergency risks, and the environmental review conducted for the Canal Street location. We also want to know what alternative sites were considered and why this location was selected.

Please contact Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration and urge them to stop the Bridgeport project and pursue an appropriate alternative location.

Please also help make the environmental-review, site-selection, and alternatives documentation available to the public.

I would appreciate knowing what actions your office will take to oppose the Canal Street facility.

Thank you.

One Call Matters. Lots of Calls Matter More.

You don’t need to be an expert on Amtrak, rail operations, environmental law, or federal funding to speak up about what happens in your neighborhood.

Call. Write. Ask your neighbors to do the same.

And make the message clear:

Keep the investment. Keep the jobs. Modernize Amtrak. Just don’t put this facility in Bridgeport.

Ask your elected officials to oppose the Canal Street location and help stop the project from moving forward.

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