(Chicago) Commuter rail lines in Chicago will not be closed to riders during the NATO Summit to be held Sunday and Monday, May 20 and 21, 2012.
The Secret Service and the Chicago Police Department, our partner in developing and implementing the overall NATO Summit security plan, have worked tirelessly with our federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety partners to devise a plan that will allow commuter trains to run during the summit without compromising security, said Frank Benedetto, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Services Chicago Field Office. Our plan presents the best possible solution to balancing the need for comprehensive security while minimizing delay and intrusion on ridership. I appreciate the cooperation of METRA, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and Amtrak who also worked with us to reach this solution.
While commuter lines will operate, passengers should plan for some delays as trains approach and pass through the McCormick Place stop due to security measures. Additional information on possible delays and individual station closures will be released in the coming weeks. A comprehensive plan detailing additional transportation and security restrictions will be released prior to the summit.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated the NATO Summit as a National Special Security Event (NSSE). When an event is designated an NSSE, the U.S. Secret Service assumes its role as the lead federal agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan. The Secret Service, the Chicago Police Department, as well as a number of other federal and local agencies, play a critical operational role in securing the event and resources that will be deployed to maintain the necessary level of security.
Source: U.S. Secret Service