The General Assembly declares that the welfare, health, prosperity, and moral and general well being of the people of the State are, in large measure, dependent upon the sound and orderly development of municipal areas. The Village of Franklin Park by reason of the location there of Grand Avenue and its use for vehicular travel in access to the entire west metropolitan Chicago area, including municipalities in 2 counties, as well as commercial and industrial growth patterns and accessibility to O’Hare International Airport and massive freight related services, has become and will increasingly be the hub of transportation from all parts of the region and throughout the west metropolitan area. Motor vehicle traffic, pedestrian travel and the safety of both motorists and pedestrians are substantially aggravated by the location of major railroad rights of way that divide the Village east from west and north from south. Those railroad rights of way have effectively impeded the development of highway usage and rights of way to further and enhance growth throughout the region. For the safety of the public it has been necessary to provide large numbers of protected crossings at great expense to the railroads, but often without complete safety to the public. The presence of the railroad rights of way at grade crossings within the Village is detrimental to the orderly expansion of industry and commerce and to progress of the region. To alleviate this situation it is necessary to relocate the railroad tracks and right of way on Grand Avenue and to separate the grades at crossings and to acquire property for relocation or submergence of the railroad or highways and to create an agency to facilitate and accomplish that relocation.