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Road in Bourbonnais, IL, site of deadly 1999 Amtrak collision, to be vacated for Nucor expansion
1999? I thought that had happened in the 70s.
Bourbonnais gives McKnight Road access to Nucor for expansion
John Dykstra | jdykstra@daily-journal.com | 815-937-3330 Jul 18, 2018
BOURBONNAIS — Bourbonnais will give Nucor Steel right of way access to part of McKnight Road as the steel company prepares for a $180 million expansion that will add 75 jobs to Kankakee County.
The village will vacate a portion of McKnight Road west of Dimicoo Drive so Nucor can build its new Merchant Bar Quality production operation. In return, Nucor will dedicate portions of land to the village so it can build a north-south road that connects county roads 5000N and 6000N.
Last month, the village disconnected some of its annexed property so Nucor’s new facility could be completely on Kankakee County grounds. Without the disconnection, Nucor would have been split between Bourbonnais and county parcels.
....
“This is something we have been trying to put together for 15 years,” Mayor Paul Schore said. “The moon and stars have lined up. When we get that together, it will be a big transportation enhancement not only for Bourbonnais and the interchange, but also Bradley and Manteno. Every time we have done public hearings about the interchange, people have asked what was going to happen there. Fortunately, we came to a win-win agreement with Nucor.”
John Dykstra | jdykstra@daily-journal.com | 815-937-3330 Jul 18, 2018
BOURBONNAIS — Bourbonnais will give Nucor Steel right of way access to part of McKnight Road as the steel company prepares for a $180 million expansion that will add 75 jobs to Kankakee County.
The village will vacate a portion of McKnight Road west of Dimicoo Drive so Nucor can build its new Merchant Bar Quality production operation. In return, Nucor will dedicate portions of land to the village so it can build a north-south road that connects county roads 5000N and 6000N.
Last month, the village disconnected some of its annexed property so Nucor’s new facility could be completely on Kankakee County grounds. Without the disconnection, Nucor would have been split between Bourbonnais and county parcels.
....
“This is something we have been trying to put together for 15 years,” Mayor Paul Schore said. “The moon and stars have lined up. When we get that together, it will be a big transportation enhancement not only for Bourbonnais and the interchange, but also Bradley and Manteno. Every time we have done public hearings about the interchange, people have asked what was going to happen there. Fortunately, we came to a win-win agreement with Nucor.”
McKnight Road crossing bound for closure? Site of 1999 Amtrak tragedy may be target of $800,000 from feds
Feb 14, 2003
By Edward Felker
Journal Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- The infamous McKnight Road crossing off of Route 50 in Bourbonnais, site of the March 15, 1999 Amtrak City of New Orleans crash, may be headed for permanent closure with money approved Thursday by Congress.
....
According to information supplied by the village to Durbin, the McKnight Road crossing would be closed and truck traffic would be diverted to an extended Belson Drive running south from 5000 N. Road, or Indian Oaks Road, to McKnight Road west of the intersection at Rt. 50.
It was at the intersection that truck driver John Stokes, hauling a load of reinforced steel bars from the Birmingham Steel plant just off McKnight Road, failed to clear the railroad crossing just west of Rt. 50. The collision with the 79-mph train and subsequent diesel fuel fire killed 11 and injured 122, including Stokes.
....
Feb 14, 2003
By Edward Felker
Journal Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- The infamous McKnight Road crossing off of Route 50 in Bourbonnais, site of the March 15, 1999 Amtrak City of New Orleans crash, may be headed for permanent closure with money approved Thursday by Congress.
....
According to information supplied by the village to Durbin, the McKnight Road crossing would be closed and truck traffic would be diverted to an extended Belson Drive running south from 5000 N. Road, or Indian Oaks Road, to McKnight Road west of the intersection at Rt. 50.
It was at the intersection that truck driver John Stokes, hauling a load of reinforced steel bars from the Birmingham Steel plant just off McKnight Road, failed to clear the railroad crossing just west of Rt. 50. The collision with the 79-mph train and subsequent diesel fuel fire killed 11 and injured 122, including Stokes.
....
1999 Bourbonnais, Illinois, train crash
The 1999 Bourbonnais, Illinois, train crash was a collision between Amtrak's southbound City of New Orleans passenger train and a semi-trailer truck in the village of Bourbonnais, Illinois, near the city of Kankakee. Most of the train derailed, killing 11 people. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the accident attributed the cause to the truck driver trying to beat the train across a grade crossing. However, the Illinois State Police investigation found track circuit malfunction as the cause. The NTSB's recommendations from the accident included increased enforcement of grade crossing signals, the installation of train event recorders at all new or improved grade crossings, and procedures to provide emergency responders with accurate lists of all crew members and passengers aboard trains. The city of Bourbonnais erected a memorial near the site to commemorate those killed in the accident.....
Aftermath
Following the collision, the city of Bourbonnais erected a memorial to the people who died at the intersection of Highway 45 and 102, across from the Olivet Nazarene University campus. On January 17, 2006, the Village Board of Bourbonnais voted to permanently close the grade crossing where the accident occurred. A replacement crossing will be built at another location nearby that will, the Village Board hopes, prevent similar wrecks from occurring in the future.
At least thirty-one civil cases were filed in various courts against parties involved in the wreck. In Illinois, the court placed the cause of the wreck squarely on Stokes, finding:
The manner in which the load of rebar was anchored and secured to the flatbed trailer had nothing to do with the cause of the accident. The accident arose from Stokes’ conduct in ignoring the flashing warning lights at the railroad crossing and attempting to drive through the crossing ahead of an oncoming train traveling at nearly 80 miles per hour, where the resulting collision caused pieces of rebar to be thrown onto the tracks derailing the train.
Prior to one trial, Stokes and his trucking company, Melco, settled with all the plaintiffs.
The 1999 Bourbonnais, Illinois, train crash was a collision between Amtrak's southbound City of New Orleans passenger train and a semi-trailer truck in the village of Bourbonnais, Illinois, near the city of Kankakee. Most of the train derailed, killing 11 people. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the accident attributed the cause to the truck driver trying to beat the train across a grade crossing. However, the Illinois State Police investigation found track circuit malfunction as the cause. The NTSB's recommendations from the accident included increased enforcement of grade crossing signals, the installation of train event recorders at all new or improved grade crossings, and procedures to provide emergency responders with accurate lists of all crew members and passengers aboard trains. The city of Bourbonnais erected a memorial near the site to commemorate those killed in the accident.....
Aftermath
Following the collision, the city of Bourbonnais erected a memorial to the people who died at the intersection of Highway 45 and 102, across from the Olivet Nazarene University campus. On January 17, 2006, the Village Board of Bourbonnais voted to permanently close the grade crossing where the accident occurred. A replacement crossing will be built at another location nearby that will, the Village Board hopes, prevent similar wrecks from occurring in the future.
At least thirty-one civil cases were filed in various courts against parties involved in the wreck. In Illinois, the court placed the cause of the wreck squarely on Stokes, finding:
The manner in which the load of rebar was anchored and secured to the flatbed trailer had nothing to do with the cause of the accident. The accident arose from Stokes’ conduct in ignoring the flashing warning lights at the railroad crossing and attempting to drive through the crossing ahead of an oncoming train traveling at nearly 80 miles per hour, where the resulting collision caused pieces of rebar to be thrown onto the tracks derailing the train.
Prior to one trial, Stokes and his trucking company, Melco, settled with all the plaintiffs.
