In May, the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Rod Blagojevich voted to double state funding for passenger trains from $12.1 million to $24.7 million. This funded service expansion on three routes:
Chicago - Springfield - St. Louis: From three daily round trips to five.*
Chicago - Galesburg - Quincy: From one daily round trip to two (with four daily round trips on the Chicago-Galesburg segment)*
Chicago - Champaign - Carbondale: From two daily round trips to three.*
Illinois' funding also includes its 25 percent share of operating the seven daily round trips on the Hiawatha Service, between Chicago and Milwaukee. Wisconsin provides the remaining 75 percent share. With the expanded rail service, Illinois will have nearly 22 daily state-supported trains.
By upping its operating funding to nearly $25 million, Illinois will provide the second-largest state-backing of intercity passenger train service in the nation. Only California provides more - $72 million.
The Midwest High Speed Rail Association would like to thank the more than 300 Illinois municipalities, numerous universities, chambers of commerce and others that made the new trains a reality. We would especially like to thank the United Transportation Union's Illinois Legislative Board and the Environmental Law & Policy Center for their efforts.
But the campaign isn't over. The next step is to reduce travel times, eliminate railroad traffic bottlenecks, and enhance grade crossing safety. Our Illinois Fast Track Initiative proposal addresses these next steps.
* Each route has a mix of federal-funded and state-funded trains. Illinois funded service on the Chicago - St. Louis route increased from 1 daily roundtrip to 3. Chicago - Quincy increased from 1 state-funded roundtrip to 2. The Chicago - Carbondale corridor also increased from 1 state-funded roundtrip to 2.
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