WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation has obligated more than $157 million in funding, allowing construction to move forward on the final phase of the Springfield (Ill.) Rail Improvements Project.
The project involves relocating some rail lines from Third Street to 10th Street in the state capital, as well as several grade-crossing separations. The final phase will complete realignment to consolidate Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern routes into one multitrack corridor, advancing efforts for a higher speed passenger route, and will also see construction of a new Multimodal Transportation Center serving Amtrak, as well as local and intercity bus service.
The funding involves a federal CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements) grant announced last October [see “FRA awards $2.4 billion …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 29, 2024].
“The Springfield Rail Improvements Project is dramatically changing downtown Springfield by reducing rail congestion, creating jobs, and improving safety for passengers, drivers, and pedestrians,” said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a press release. Added Sen. Tammy Duckworth, “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.”
More on the project is available at its website.
