Study Goals

The goals of the project were to describe five important characteristics of our vision for a 220-mph Midwest high-speed rail system:

1. The alignment and operating characteristics of the HSR corridors and supporting infrastructure
2. The location and development potential of key HSR stations
3. The costs to construct the HSR system
4. The impact of high speed rail on economic development and job growth
5. The financial resources needed to build a system that will repay its costs of construction, support its operation and sustain the Midwest as a competitive player in the global marketplace

This study examined a system serving all major metropolitan areas within 350 to 450 miles of Chicago. The region would be served by a four-spoke network with Chicago at the center of corridors connected to Cleveland/Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Trains would operate at 220-mph on dedicated track with no grade crossings.