About 75 River Forest residents met Saturday, Oct. 3, with Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch to discuss the proposed O'Hare Flyer express train.

Welch, who represents the 7th District including River Forest, said on X that he joined Village President Cathy Adduci and residents for a community conversation covering issues important to them, including the O'Hare Flyer. He did not state a position on the project. The village board's Sept. 14 resolution specifically asked Welch and other state legislators to block the Flyer's development.

The O'Hare Flyer is a proposed $2.25 billion, privately funded battery-electric train that would carry passengers from downtown Chicago to O'Hare International Airport in 15 minutes. Trains would pass every 15 minutes from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., traveling at roughly 80 mph, according to the Forest Park Review.

The route would run through River Forest between Forest and Park avenues, crossing Chicago Avenue, Iowa Street, Augusta Street and Thatcher Avenue.

The village board voted unanimously on Sept. 14 to oppose the project, OakPark.com reported. More than 100 people packed Fox Auditorium at Trinity High School for that meeting. Twenty residents spoke against the rail line during 90 minutes of public comment. One spoke in favor.

The board's resolution urges O'Hare Flyer LLC to "cease advancing their plans and explore alternative route options." It also calls on state officials, including Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, to block the project.

Adduci has been vocal in her opposition. At a separate community meeting in Forest Park on Oct. 1, she raised safety and traffic concerns. "Traffic is going to be insane. I mean you got gates coming down all the time," Adduci said at that meeting, as the Chicago Tribune reported. "Unless they make a commitment to grade separations on those very major busy streets, I don't see how this can work for us in the western suburbs."

O'Hare Flyer's leadership team has said all grade crossings in River Forest would be eliminated through grade separation if the project proceeds. The company has proposed elevating a two-block section of track to 15 feet with sound insulation, creating underpasses.

Harmon, whose district also includes River Forest, said in a September statement that he wanted to "hear from my neighbors who will be most directly impacted" but stopped short of opposing the project.

A resident group called S.T.O.P. (Stop the O'Hare Passthrough) has organized against the Flyer. Steering committee member Renu Shah said at the Sept. 14 board meeting that it "takes a literal village to stand up to a private, politically connected company that wants to send a high-speed train nearly 24/7 past homes, schools, libraries, trauma hospitals and parks."

No date has been announced for the next River Forest public hearing or village board action on the O'Hare Flyer.