Durbin, Duckworth, Budzinski Announce Final Segment Of Springfield Rail Improvements Project Can Move Forward
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fully obligated $157,126,494 in federal funding for the final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP), allowing construction to move forward.
The multi-phased project is a large-scale effort supported by local, state, and federal funding designed to alleviate rail congestion in downtown Springfield by consolidating train traffic from Third Street to 10th Street and constructing a series of overpasses and underpasses along the corridor.
“I’m thrilled to see the final phase of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project come to fruition,” said Durbin. “Connecting communities is at the heart of transportation and today’s final federal commitment for a new Amtrak Station, rail improvements, and track realignment in Springfield will better connect passengers between St. Louis and Chicago. The Springfield Rail Improvements Project is dramatically changing downtown Springfield by reducing rail congestion, creating jobs, and improving safety for passengers, drivers, and pedestrians. I will continue advocating for strong investments in Illinois’ transportation infrastructure.”
“Investing in our rail infrastructure is critical for growing our economy and making it safer, faster and more efficient for people and goods to get where they need to go,” Duckworth said. “After pushing for this project for years alongside Senator Durbin, Congresswoman Budzinski and our local leaders, I’m grateful to see this final phase of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project moving toward completion. This federal investment will go a long way in helping us build a new multimodal transportation center, improve efficiency for passengers traveling between St. Louis and Chicago and support good-paying jobs while making Springfield safer for pedestrians and drivers. I’ll keep working with Senator Durbin and Congresswoman Budzinski to ensure that our communities are receiving the much-needed federal resources they deserve.”
“Securing funding for the Springfield Rail Improvement Project has been a top priority of mine, and with the funding now finalized, we’re one step closer to transforming our downtown, reducing rail noise, and making our streets safer. This project is also creating good-paying union jobs, benefiting families across our community,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “I’m incredibly proud to have worked alongside Senators Durbin and Duckworth to bring this vital funding home. Together, we’re not only connecting communities but also building a stronger, more efficient, and reliable transportation system for the future!”
“This $157 million federal investment in the Springfield Rail Improvements Project is a transformational moment for our city,” said Mayor Misty Buscher. “It not only brings us one step closer to completing the long-planned 10th Street rail consolidation, but it also allows us to move forward with building The Hub — a modern multimodal transportation center that will better connect our community and serve as a new gateway to our capital city. This project enhances safety, improves traffic flow, and strengthens access to jobs, services, and economic opportunities. I want to thank our federal partners and local stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to secure this critical funding and support the vision of a more connected and vibrant Springfield.”
“This CRISI grant will complete the funding for the new 10th Street rail corridor as part of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. This will allow the Union Pacific Railway and Amtrak to operate on a new rail corridor and historically transform rail traffic in the City of Springfield for generations,” said Sergio Pecori, Chairman and C.E.O., Hanson Inc.
This phase of the SRIP includes rail improvements, track realignment, and the construction of a new Amtrak Station in Springfield. This project will complete the final segment of track realignment to consolidate the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern corridors into one multitrack corridor through the city, which will advance the efforts to provide a higher speed intercity passenger rail connection between St. Louis and Chicago. In addition to various track improvements and grade crossing separations, the project will also construct a Multimodal Transportation Center to improve public transportation connectivity among intercity passenger rail, local bus service, and intercity bus service.
In 2023, Durbin urged then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to strongly consider the SRIP for federal rail grants. Since the project’s inception, Durbin has helped to secure roughly $90 million in previous federal funding to advance the SRIP, including a 2021 RAISE grant for the Madison and Jefferson underpasses project, which was completed last August.
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