Politics & Government
Has The Train Left The Station In Palos Park?
The Village of Palos Park faces severely limited transportation options compared to other suburbs.
PALOS PARK, IL -- Palos Park’s proximity to Chicago has played a central role in the Village’s rich history and remains a vital part of the Village’s identity to this day. Many Palos Park residents travel into Chicago throughout the week for work and local families take advantage of all that the city has to offer on the weekends.
But compared to other suburbs, Palos Park faces severely limited transportation options, making it much harder for residents to travel to and from the city. Indeed, on some days of the week, fewer trains run between Palos Park and Chicago than ran 129 years ago, when the Wabash Railroad arrived.
On weekdays, 15 trains run between Palos Park and Chicago, 42% fewer than many other suburbs, which have between 24 and 27 trains per day. Not surprisingly, those traveling from Palos Park wait 56% longer for the next train than those in other suburbs.
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On weekends, when only three trains run on Saturdays, transportation options for Palos Park residents are even worse. Residents wait more than three-times as long for the next train on Saturdays as in many other suburbs (which have 10-14 trains per day) and, since no trains run on Sundays, residents wait forever.
Limited transportation options have a major impact on the mobility of Palos Park residents and on the Village’s ability to attract new residents. This has been especially pronounced in recent years as job growth in the city of Chicago has outpaced job growth in the suburbs 3:2, growing 16.6% in the city vs. 11.2% in the suburbs according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Find out what's happening in Palosfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Without competitive transportation options, Palos Park will not be a viable option for new residents and property values will continue to lag other suburbs, as they have over the last decade.
Strong public transportation -- to and from Chicago and within Palos Park -- is essential to ensuring Palos Park remains a vibrant community. It is vital that Village leaders work closely with Metra and other entities to ensure residents of the area have the options and opportunities as residents in other suburbs. We cannot risk being left behind when the train leaves the station.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Nicholas Baker is a candidate running for mayor of Palos Park.