West Suburban Residents Demand Answers on Proposed O’Hare Flyer Train

FOREST PARK, Ill. (WLS) — Just weeks after River Forest officials formally rejected the proposal, residents from communities across the western suburbs gathered in Forest Park Thursday night for a closer look at the planned O’Hare Flyer.

The community meeting featured representatives of the O’Hare Flyer, a privately financed express rail line proposed to connect downtown Chicago with O’Hare International Airport.

The discussion highlighted sharply different views about how the project could affect neighborhoods and municipalities along its proposed route.

Forest Park resident Cary McLean said the rail line could bring significant disruption to nearby homes and neighborhoods.

“If the O’Hare Flyer get this corridor, they win, we lose. No mitigation fixes a train every 7.5 minutes behind our homes,” McLean said.

O’Hare Flyer CEO and co-founder Dave Lundy countered that the project could deliver substantial economic gains throughout the region.

“You’re talking about thousands of jobs. You’re talking about the ability to bring conventions and corporate headquarters to Chicago,” Lundy said.

Forest Park Commissioner Maria Maxham said residents still need answers about the project’s potential effects on traffic, the economy and property values.

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“I don’t think aspirational stories or anecdotes are enough to prove that this is a project that we should pursue,” Maxham said.

Lundy called the O’Hare Flyer a potential economic game changer and noted that details about the plan have been public for weeks. He added that misinformation has fueled much of the opposition.

“We are trying to be as transparent, as accessible as possible. It’s the reason we’re here,” Lundy said. “The more we can do to talk to the community and give them direct information, the more people are gonna understand what the benefits of the project are.”

Supporters also emphasized the potential for new jobs, infrastructure improvements and broader economic development.

“We want to see local jobs for local workers, and we want to see more infrastructure happening in Chicago,” said Nick Medina of Laborers’ Local One.

Opponents, meanwhile, said the concerns are not limited to one neighborhood. They pointed to potential impacts on residents in several municipalities along the proposed rail corridor.

With the debate over the O’Hare Flyer continuing, supporters and critics alike made clear that more discussion lies ahead.