Itasca approves CPKC-funded predictive mobility system, extends regional monitoring coalition

The Itasca Village Board on Oct. 15 approved an agreement with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway Limited (CPKC) to install a LinkThings predictive mobility and advanced-warning system to deliver real‑time notifications about blocked railroad crossings to 911, police, fire and other users, and separately approved an intergovernmental agreement to continue a regional railway safety and monitoring coalition funded up to $40,000 annually.

Board members and staff said the measures respond to community concerns tied to the CPKC–Kansas City Southern merger and a federal monitoring period imposed by the Surface Transportation Board. "They have actually committed to providing, yes, both doing all the install and paying for that as well as the technology that's needed to get that information in the public safety areas," Village Administrator Carrie Ann said during the discussion. The board approved the LinkThings agreement with one abstention; Trustee Daley recorded the abstention and Trustee Gavanas was absent.

The LinkThings system will connect to local crossing signals and deliver advance notice of blocked crossings to public safety dispatch centers and, where chosen, to police or fire stations. The system can also drive electronic warning signs in strategic locations and — in the future, officials said — provide public access via a website or mobile app. Carrie Ann said the system will supply only real‑time data: "Right now, that's all they've committed to making available is real time data... it will only be real time data," she said.

The installation and initial operation will be paid for by CPKC, Carrie Ann said. The equipment and monitoring commitment are tied to the company’s voluntary mitigation measures and the conditions the Surface Transportation Board set when approving the merger; the village-staff presentation said the monitoring period extends seven years past the original date in the STB order.

Separately, the board approved continuing the intergovernmental Railway Safety and Monitoring Coalition — formerly called the Coalition to Stop CPKC — to coordinate monitoring and to identify and communicate impacts across member communities. Trustee Leahy said member municipalities and DuPage County joined because the STB shifted responsibility for on-the-ground monitoring from the agency and the railroad to the affected communities. Village staff said the coalition has already pooled funds since 2022 and helped secure roughly $1.3 million in a state grant; another roughly $800,000 in grant money is pending, staff said.

Trustee Leahy framed the coalition and the LinkThings agreement as practical mitigation: "If we don't, it will continue to drift out of hand... we gotta keep them as honest as we can and fight for whatever we can get out of it," Leahy said. Supporters said the system will help first responders route calls and inform drivers in real time; some details about a public rollout (what app or website would be used and how broadly it will be published) remain to be determined.

The coalition agreement contemplates an annual local contribution not to exceed $40,000. Carrie Ann said the coalition's members are pursuing state grant funds to offset municipal costs, and any additional local payments beyond the agreed amount would return to each community for separate approval.

The LinkThings installation and the coalition agreement were both approved by roll call. The LinkThings agreement passed with one abstention (Trustee Daley) and one member absent (Trustee Gavanas). The intergovernmental coalition agreement passed after a roll call that recorded one vote against (Trustee Maderas), one abstention (Trustee Daley) and one absence (Trustee Gavanas).