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Work to begin on Chicago-Moline rail route
Updated: January 10, 2012 11:28AM
The Illinois Department of Transportation on Monday announced an agreement to begin construction of the Chicago-Moline passenger rail corridor.
The department says the corridor, which is expected to create nearly 2,000 jobs, should begin service between Chicago and Moline in 2014.
The agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) allows $177 million in federal funds towards corridor construction. The state is matching the federal funds with $45 million from Gov. Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, a release from IDOT said.
“Expanding passenger rail creates jobs, promotes economic development and provides people an alternative to the automobile by connecting the great cities throughout our state,” Governor Pat Quinn said in the release. “This agreement announced today is another important step to linking the Quad Cities area to Chicago and the global economy through new passenger service.”
A study conducted almost five years ago revealed expanding access into the Quad Cities would create jobs and boost economic developments, the release said.
