Illinois

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has announced a $685 million agreement to begin construction on the next phase of high-speed rail between Chicago and St. Louis. The federally funded project will create an estimated 6,200 direct and indirect jobs and move Illinois one step closer to faster trains and improved service along its signature high-speed route. At the time of announcement, Governor Quinn was joined by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, railroad workers and suppliers, Union Pacific officials and federal, state and local leaders. "Today's agreement marks another major step towards making high-speed rail a reality in Illinois," said Governor Quinn. "Bringing high-speed rail to Illinois has been a top priority of my administration because of the thousands of jobs and long-term investment it will bring to our state. This important partnership with the Union Pacific and the Obama administration will boost our efforts to make Illinois the high-speed rail hub of the Midwest." The agreement allows for the construction of new rail track using concrete ties between Dwight and Lincoln, as well as between Alton and the Mississippi River, along with the installation of a modernized signal system between Dwight and Alton. Construction will begin on April 5 and is funded through $1.2 billion in federal funding awarded to Illinois to expand passenger rail. Illinois is showing its financial commitment by providing more than $42 million in state capital funding. "High-speed rail is more than just an alternative mode of travel - it is a shot in the arm to today's recovering economy and an investment in infrastructure that will serve us for generations to come," U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said. "With Chicago as its hub, the Midwest high-speed rail network will create an estimated $23.1 billion in economic activity and create 6,000 jobs over the next ten years. That economic boost is already being felt in and around Alton, where construction began several months ago. The federally funded construction agreement kick starts the next phase of the project and ushers in more than $650 million of construction, and an estimated 6,200 jobs, starting this summer." Construction work directly implemented by the UP will be built by members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way and Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen under their national contracts with the railroad. A large majority of workers under these contracts are expected to be hired from Illinois. In addition, more than $650 million of the total $1.2 billion federal grant will go to competitively-selected contractors. The first trains traveling at 110 mph on the Chicago-to-St. Louis line will make their debut between Dwight and Pontiac as early as next year. Upgrades to the entire Dwight-Alton portion of the corridor are expected to be complete by 2014. The state also is conducting a study on the feasibility of bringing 220-mph service to Illinois. "We are proud to be leaders on a project that will reduce congestion, benefit the environment and spark economic development," Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said. "We will see the returns on our efforts to develop the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed corridor for years to come."