The chair of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s Board of Trustees has testified in favor of the TRACS Act before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

On Tuesday Mark Yagelski, also a member of the LaPorte County Council, told the committee that the Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act, or TRACS, would require the Surface Transportation Board (STB) specifically to consider the impact of any proposed railroad merger “on public safety, including grade crossings, hazardous materials transportation safety, emergency response time, noise, and socio-economic impacts.”

In addition, TRACS would require the STB to consider the impact as well of a proposed merger on intercity rail and commuter rail transportation service. And TRACS would authorize the STB is deny a merger if the adverse impacts outweigh the benefits.

TRACS was prompted by Canadian National’s current proposal to acquire the EJ&E.

Yagelski in particular testified on his concerns over the STB’s draft environmental impact statement regarding NICTD’s proposed West Lake Corridor Commuter Rail Expansion project, which the STB has stated is “not reasonably foreseeable.”

That conclusion Yagelski criticized as “irresponsible,” according to a statement released by NICTD on Thursday. Yagelski defended the West Lake project and noted that it has strong local and regional support and a funding proposal approved by the Indiana House in the 2008 session along with plans to pursue funding in the 2009 session.

Posted 9/12/2008