Homewood Asks For Residents' Help To Secure Train Station Funds

HOMEWOOD, IL — The Village of Homewood is asking for the public's help in securing funding to renovate the Homewood train station.

Village officials are asking residents to write letters of support for the project and to send them to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

That's because they say that the funding from the agency's Surface Transportation Program Shared Fund Program is at risk after the City of Chicago asked for changes to the way the money is allotted.

Money awarded under the program pays for the full cost of approved projects. Chicago requested a reconsideration of that rule so that partial funding would be permitted.

Homewood has applied to the program for its train station's renovations with the understanding that it is approved, all costs would be covered. Officials are asking that residents request that the stipulation remain in place.

Here is the full text of the village's request to residents and instructions for emailing letters of support:

Homewood Residents Help Needed:
Homewood Train Station Renovation Funding in Jeopardy

As most residents and commuters are aware, the Homewood Train Station has been in a severe state of disrepair for several years. It is not handicap accessible and water infiltrates the pedestrian tunnel when it rains. A full renovation would address these issues, as well as enhance rider access to the adjoining Pace Bus terminal and Amtrak station. The renovation will also rejuvenate our downtown while providing a welcoming, fully-accessible station for all transit riders.

The Village submitted this renovation project to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to be considered for funding under the Surface Transportation Program Shared Fund Program (STP).

The STP Project Selection Committee and all municipalities eligible for this funding agreed to a program methodology matrix to appropriately evaluate and score all submitted projects. A determination was made that all approved projects would be fully funded, meaning no partial funding would be permitted. This methodology was agreed to by CMAP officials.

It has come to the Village’s attention that the City of Chicago is challenging this methodology and is urging CMAP officials to reconsider the partial funding of submitted projects. If CMAP officials change the methodology to allow projects to be partially funded, Homewood’s Train Station Renovation slated for funding will be delayed or unfunded.

The Village needs your help! If you would like to see the Homewood Train Station renovated for any of the reasons listed above, we are asking you to make your voices heard. The Village of Homewood is urging everyone to send the letter below (simply copy and paste into your email) to help encourage CMAP officials to keep the original, agreed upon methodology. Your help could solidify the Village’s chances to secure the funding that we have earned.

Please send to:

CMAP: transportation@cmap.illinois.gov

or

CMAP

ATTN: Transportation Program Public Comment
233 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 800
Chicago IL 60606

CMAP Officials:

As a resident (or commuter) of Homewood, I am extremely pleased to see the Homewood Train Station Renovation as a project on the proposed Surface Transportation Program (STP). Located in the heart of downtown Homewood, this station has been in a state of disrepair for several years. It is not handicap accessible and water infiltrates the pedestrian tunnel whenever it rains. A renovation would address these issues, as well as enhance rider access to the adjoining Pace Bus terminal and Amtrak station. The renovation will rejuvenate downtown Homewood while providing a welcoming, fully-accessible station for all transit riders.

The STP Project Selection Committee adopted a technical methodology to evaluate and score projects and a determination was made that projects would not be partially funded. This policy was agreed to by CMAP officials and should be adhered to. However, the City of Chicago has requested a change to the policy to allow for partial funding.

Changing the criteria after being mutually agreed to is unfair to all project applicants. Our project and others projects slated for funding would be delayed or unfunded if projects were allowed to be partially funded.

For these reasons, I am opposed to the proposed change in policy for funding projects. Please do not allow partial funding.

Thank you,

SIGN YOUR NAME