Events
Rooms to be in
Village boards, county committees and community meetings where this project can be raised in public. A full room and a recorded vote carry weight that email does not.
Know of a meeting we have missed? Tell us and we will add it. Dates and times come from the public bodies themselves and can change — check with the village or the county before you travel.
Want to speak at a meeting?Which meetings take public comment, what to say, and a way to tell us you’re going.
Not every event on this calendar has time for public comment. You can speak at:
- Village board meetings in the communities on the route
- Chicago City Council meetings, if you live in the city
- Cook County Board and Forest Preserves board meetings
- NITA board meetings, which decide regional transit funding. Email communications@nita.illinois.gov by noon the day before to ask to speak.
Each has its own sign-up rules, and some ask you to register in advance. Check with the board before you go. Community meetings, open houses and coalition events are for listening, asking questions and meeting neighbors.
Public comment
Speaking at public comment
Most boards give each speaker two or three minutes. Check the sign-up rules for your meeting: some ask you to fill out a card before the meeting starts.
- Say who you are. Your name and the street or neighborhood you live in.
- Say what the project does where you live. Your crossing, your street, your park, your school, your commute. Your own words are the strongest part.
- Make one ask. “I’m asking this board to pass a resolution, or send a formal letter, opposing the O’Hare Flyer / Great Western Railroad project.”
- Thank them. Leave a copy of your comments with the clerk if you have one.
Stay with what you know and what’s on the record. Attribute the sponsors’ claims to them (“the sponsors say…”). Be courteous; the board is the audience you’re trying to bring along.
I’ll speak.
Tell us which meeting you plan to speak at, so we can spread speakers across the boards on the route.
Melrose Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Offer public comment at the Melrose Park Village Board. Thank the Village for its letter opposing the O'Hare Flyer, and ask the board to press for Regional Rail 1.0. Arrive early and ask the clerk how to sign up to speak.
River Forest Village Board of Trustees Meeting
Speak during citizen comments at the River Forest Village Board. Thank trustees for their resolution opposing the O'Hare Flyer, and ask them to keep pressing for Regional Rail 1.0. To speak, email lmasella@vrf.us by 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Metra at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market
Metra will be at the Oak Park Farmer’s market on 10/31 to talk about their plans for regional rail. Please stop by their booth and tell them you want expanded NCS service: frequent Metra service to O’Hare, every 30 minutes, as part of Regional Rail 1.0.
Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Come to the Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting and prepare to offer comment related to Franklin Park on the O’Hare Flyer. Describe why the Flyer is a danger to the Franklin Park community while offering them zero benefit.
Thatcher Woods Deserves More Than a Sales Pitch
THATCHER WOODS DESERVES MORE THAN A SALES PITCH. JOIN US NOVEMBER 7 FOR OUR BIGGEST WALK & TALK YET!
River Forest Village Board of Trustees Meeting
Speak during citizen comments at the River Forest Village Board. Thank trustees for their resolution opposing the O'Hare Flyer, and ask them to keep pressing for Regional Rail 1.0. To speak, email lmasella@vrf.us by 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Metra Systemwide Network Plan: Virtual Public Meeting
Metra is taking public input on its long-range plan for more frequent, all-day service. The plan’s first phase, Regional Rail 1.0, includes expanded service to O’Hare every 30 minutes from Union Station.
Join the meeting and tell Metra to fund it: frequent public transit to O’Hare, on the lines our communities already use.
The Zoom link will be posted at metra.com/snp by Friday, Nov. 13; we’ll share it here and by email. Can’t make it? Send a comment through Metra’s feedback form at any time.
Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Come to the Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting and prepare to offer comment related to Franklin Park on the O’Hare Flyer. Describe why the Flyer is a danger to the Franklin Park community while offering them zero benefit.
NITA Board Meeting
We need people in the room. NITA decides how the region's transit money is spent, including whether Metra's Regional Rail 1.0 gets funded. Come to the meeting and tell the board that funding Regional Rail 1.0 matters.
The O'Hare piece of the plan would be a game-changer for Chicago: trains every 30 minutes, all day, between Union Station and O'Hare, on a route Metra already runs, for about $100 million to build by Metra's estimate.
To speak, you have to register in advance. Email communications@nita.illinois.gov by noon on Wednesday, November 18, the day before the meeting, and ask to speak during public comment. Comments are limited to three minutes.
Can't attend, or would rather not speak in person? Send a written comment to the same address by the same deadline. NITA posts emailed comments on its website.
What to say: Expanded service to O'Hare from Union Station, as part of the Regional Rail 1.0 plan, is an absolute priority.
Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting
Anyone can speak during public comment at the Cook County Board of Commissioners, in person or by video. Ask the commissioners to oppose the O'Hare Flyer and to press NITA to fund Regional Rail 1.0.
To speak or send a written comment, register on the County's form at least 24 hours before the meeting. The County posts the form with the agenda, and step-by-step instructions are on the event page.
Melrose Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Offer public comment at the Melrose Park Village Board. Thank the Village for its letter opposing the O'Hare Flyer, and ask the board to press for Regional Rail 1.0. Arrive early and ask the clerk how to sign up to speak.
Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Come to the Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting and prepare to offer comment related to Franklin Park on the O’Hare Flyer. Describe why the Flyer is a danger to the Franklin Park community while offering them zero benefit.
NITA Board Meeting
We need people in the room. NITA decides how the region's transit money is spent, including whether Metra's Regional Rail 1.0 gets funded. NITA's budget page says the board will consider the 2027 budget in December. Come to the meeting and tell the board that funding Regional Rail 1.0 matters.
The O'Hare piece of the plan would be a game-changer for Chicago: trains every 30 minutes, all day, between Union Station and O'Hare, on a route Metra already runs, for about $100 million to build by Metra's estimate.
To speak, you have to register in advance. Email communications@nita.illinois.gov by noon on Wednesday, December 16, the day before the meeting, and ask to speak during public comment. Comments are limited to three minutes.
Can't attend, or would rather not speak in person? Send a written comment to the same address by the same deadline. NITA posts emailed comments on its website.
What to say: Expanded service to O'Hare from Union Station, as part of the Regional Rail 1.0 plan, is an absolute priority.
Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting
Anyone can speak during public comment at the Cook County Board of Commissioners, in person or by video. Ask the commissioners to oppose the O'Hare Flyer and to press NITA to fund Regional Rail 1.0.
To speak or send a written comment, register on the County's form at least 24 hours before the meeting. The County posts the form with the agenda, and step-by-step instructions are on the event page.
Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Come to the Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting and prepare to offer comment related to Franklin Park on the O’Hare Flyer. Describe why the Flyer is a danger to the Franklin Park community while offering them zero benefit.
Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting
Anyone can speak during public comment at the Cook County Board of Commissioners, in person or by video. Ask the commissioners to oppose the O'Hare Flyer and to press NITA to fund Regional Rail 1.0.
To speak or send a written comment, register on the County's form by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21. Step-by-step instructions are on the event page.
Forest Park Village Board Meeting
Public comment and ongoing discussions—including reviews of the proposed O'Hare Flyer project and community feedback.
Please register to comment and share your views of the O’Hare Flyer project, including community concerns and open questions. Show support for our communities, our forest preserves, and our public transit.
Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting
Come to the Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees Meeting and prepare to offer comment related to Franklin Park on the O’Hare Flyer. Describe why the Flyer is a danger to the Franklin Park community while offering them zero benefit.
Walk and Talk in Thatcher Woods
A COMMUNITY WALK FOR THE WILDLIFE THAT HAS NO VOICE
Join neighbors for a walk and conversation in Thatcher Woods to learn about the proposed O'Hare Flyer and the potential impacts that construction and trains every 7.5 minutes could have on this treasured forest, its ecosystems, and the wildlife that call it home — including endangered bats, birds, and the many species that depend on this habitat.
COOK COUNTY TAXPAYERS FUND THE PRESERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF THESE PROTECTED LANDS.
Come learn what years of construction and trains every 7.5 minutes could mean for the forests, wildlife, and natural resources we all value and want to safeguard for future generations.
RARE FOREST HABITAT
One of Northeast Illinois' remaining quality floodplain forests, oak savanna and upland forest ecosystems.
BATS & WILDLIFE
Supports endangered bats and critical habitat for many species.
BIRDS & BIODIVERSITY
At least 45 nesting bird species and a rich diversity of native plants and wildlife that depend on this habitat.
CONSERVATION & PUBLIC ACCESS
Treasure these lands, ensure equitable public access, and protect natural resources for future generations.
SAY NO TO PRIVATE EQUITY TEARING APART PUBLIC LANDS.
NITA Impact Forum
Stop by anytime between 3 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, at Chicago Union Station’s Burlington Room, 225 S. Canal St.
Ask NITA to prioritize investing in our existing public transit to O’Hare. Metra service can be expanded. The Blue Line and Metra both need track repair and rehabilitation. We should not be privatizing rail transit in Chicagoland. Keep passenger rail a public asset.
The event is designed for you to explore at your own pace, walk through the rider journey on the regional transit system, discuss pain points and future improvements, and learn more about what the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), CTA, Metra, and Pace have planned for regional transit in 2027 and beyond.
Agency staff will be available to discuss regional service planning, budget priorities for next year, capital investments, safety, and the rider experience. There will also be tables on doing business with the regional transit system and applying to work at the agencies.