Public input sought through June
14 on new Illinois rail study
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[June 03, 2021]
The Illinois Department of Transportation is inviting the public to
comment and offer suggestions on a new study assessing the state’s
rail system. The goal of the study is to seek input on current
conditions, capacity concerns and safety challenges to help identify
potential improvements and solutions.
Comments will be collected through June 14 via illinoisrailneeds.org,
which includes a short video, informational displays and a link to a
survey.
The information gathered will be used in the development of a
statewide rail plan, a requirement of states seeking federal funding
under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act. It also
will serve to inform IDOT’s ongoing Illinois Long-Range
Transportation Plan, providing strategic direction for the
development of the state’s transportation system.
Illinois is the rail hub of North America, the only state in which
all seven Class 1 railroads operate.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Jun/03/images/ads/current/charrons_bch041713.png)
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/May/02/images/ads/current/guzzardo_lda022609.png)
Illinois boasts more than 10,000 miles of track and serves a robust passenger
rail network, with Amtrak connecting 30 communities statewide and Metra
operating 11 lines in the Chicago area.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Jun/03/images/ads/current/christianvillage_sda_SPONSOR_042720.png)
Under Gov. JB Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program, Illinois
is making historic investments in both passenger and freight rail, including
$500 million to re-establish passenger rail to the Quad Cities and Rockford,
$400 million for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation and
Efficiency (CREATE) Program, $100 million for improvements to improve safety and
reliability on Amtrak’s Saluki service between Chicago and Carbondale, and $78
million to upgrade rail crossings and improve safety throughout the state.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |