Durbin, Duckworth Celebrate 100 Years Of Chicago Union Station
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statements to celebrate 100 years of Chicago Union Station:
“Chicago, often referred to as the crossroads of America, holds a unique position in the converging point for railroads that cross our nation,” said Durbin. “Our very own Union Station is one of the busiest rail terminals in the country, and this week marks 100 years of reliable transportation for passengers. We were able to secure a significant federal investment for Union Station to ensure our city remains not just a crossroads, but a thriving nexus that efficiently connects people, goods, and ideas—and I'll continue working to secure resources to modernize the Station. As we celebrate this centennial achievement, I look forward to keeping the heart of America’s rail network beating strong into the future.”
“Chicago is a national epicenter of passenger, commuter and freight rail—with Union Station at the heart,” Duckworth said. “As we celebrate the Station’s 100-year anniversary, we also honor the hardworking engineers, conductors and staff who help more than 30 million riders each year get where they need to go safely and efficiently. I’m proud to work alongside Senator Durbin and our local leaders to secure critical investments for Union Station and the Chicago Hub Improvement Program—efforts that will improve passenger rail not only in Chicago but across the Midwest foryears to come.”
In 2023, Durbin and Duckworth announced $93.6 million in secured federal funding for the Chicago Hub Improvement Project (CHIP) through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal-State Partnerships for Intercity Passenger Rail grant program, which received funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. CHIP is Amtrak’s multi-phased project to revitalize Chicago Union Station and revolutionize Midwest passenger rail.
Durbin worked to bring parties together—local officials, the State, Amtrak, and other stakeholders including labor, environmental groups, and businesses—to ensure there was a unified push for the project. In September of 2023, Durbin, Duckworth, and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) led 29 Midwest colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose expressing their support for Amtrak’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program application for CHIP.
In May of this year, Durbin raised the issue of CHIP funding with Transportation Secretary Duffy, urging the DOT to obligate the remaining funds for the $93.6 million grant awarded in 2023.
Durbin and Duckworth will continue to build upon previous investments in the CHIP and lead stakeholders in advocating to advance the improvement of Chicago Union Station, cementing its critical importance to both Illinois and the Midwest.
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