Following the announcement that the Chicago Bears may be building a new stadium in Arlington Park, towns in the area voiced concerns about the infrastructure problems and traffic congestion that the construction project may cause.
While the move to the area sparked discussions on the potential economic benefits that it will bring, the Bears have plenty of hoops to jump through, including the worry of surrounding towns regarding the gridlock that the sudden influx of people will cause to experience the new stadium and amenities.
NBC Sports reported:
“It could bring our community to complete gridlock,” Village Manager Reid Ottesen said. “And our residents wouldn’t be able to get where they need to go. Our police and fire would not be able to get to calls on time.”
What’s more, improving the infrastructure around the stadium means more money. The Bears mentioned during their inaugural stadium meeting they would request public funding only for the use of infrastructure.
Yet, it could be costly.
“It’s going to be $1 billion that has to go into the infrastructure to [address] the road network, the water system, the sewer systems, the retention — we don’t want more flooding,” Ottesen said.
