Lakeland News
February 22, 2005
Big bucks for Lake County projects
in the works
By Nicholas Alajakis
A proposed budget on president Bush’s desk could turn the
Great Lakes Naval Station into a state-of-the-art facility, while
improving commuting in central Lake County, said United States Congressman
Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park).
Those two proposed projects could potentially have the biggest
impact on Lake County residents, Kirk said, of all the items the
president’s budget.
Kirk led the way in asking for $122 million to help renovate
Great Lakes. The Naval station is currently going through a renovation
that will modernize much of the base. The additional funds will
go toward a “battle station project.”
The battle station project, which is in the works with Universal
Studios, will be a unique addition to the base, Kirk said. It
will essentially pay for a building that will house a ship. In
that ship sailors will be able to simulate floods and fires they
may encounter on board.
The training will be unlike any other experience, Kirk said.
Exceptional naval training prevented the USS Cole from sinking
even after it had a hole blown in the side of it while stationed
in Yemen in October 2000, Kirk added.
The simulator will also go a long way in bringing more attention
and sailors to Great Lakes. The base has been getting more attention
in recent years, and is no longer seen as an old, cold base, he
said.
Bringing $122 million in military improvement to one district
is more than any country in the world is doing, Kirk said. It’s
a visible effect of having one of the top Naval training centers
in the world.
That type of construction brings in additional workers, thus
creating more jobs, Kirk added. And while some may question why
so much money is necessary for the military, Kirk said he thought
that there could never be enough done for sailors risking their
lives for the country.
The second major project that could be passed with Bush’s
budget is an expansion of Metra’s north central line, which
runs from Chicago to Antioch.
About $20 of the $42 million requested by Metra would go toward
the north central line. The additional funds would double the
amount of commuter trains that travel to and from the city everyday,
Kirk said.
The additional lines could in turn make Metra more convenient
and potentially get tens of thousands of people off the tollway,
Kirk said.
Better access to the trains could also have a positive affect
on property values, he added.
Other increases in the budget include funding to accelerate the
creation of a new Navy/VA hospital in North Chicago and money
to clean-up polluted harbors, like the one in Waukegan.
While not approved yet, Kirk said he is confident some of the
projects will get an OK.
The projects have received favorable recommendations from some
of the senior Republicans in the House, and there is no significant
Democratic dissention, he added.
Copyright© 2005
|