Rep. Barbara Hernandez Announces $95M for Statewide Passenger Rail

AURORA, Ill. – State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is announcing the release of $95 million from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to expand Illinois’ passenger rail system, including major renovations for Chicago’s Union Station.

“Illinois, and our region especially, is not only an indispensable link in the supply chain for our entire nation, it is a focal point for public transit via passenger rail. These improvements are a smart investment that will bring huge economic returns,” Hernandez said. “Thousands of Chicagoans use Union Station every day, and for even more Illinoisans that station is an important leg of their journey through the state. By improving this and other aspects of state passenger rail systems, we can speed up commutes and bring new tourism dollars to communities that depend on business from a wide swath of patrons.”

The $94 million will further add to the many infrastructure improvements in the Rebuild Illinois capitol plan. This plan has contributed to, among other things, growth of passenger trains across Illinois. This grant will be managed by Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation to address a portfolio of projects that will improve rail service and operations in Illinois, and by extension, the entire Midwest. Renovations are expected to increase station capacity by a total of 120,000 riders statewide.

“I’ve used Chicago trains for years, and I can say from experience they are a vital part of living in the Chicago area,” Hernandez said. “Anyone without regular access to a car would probably agree that keeping our train system up-to-date and safe is money well spent.”