Illinois, UP, Amtrak sign HrSR accord
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefThe Illinois Department of Transportation, Amtrak, and Union Pacific Wednesday reached final agreement on proceeding with $1.1 billion in improvements for higher-speed rail (HrSR) between St. Louis and Chicago, primarily on UP right-of-way.
The pact comes as Illinois has affirmed a commitment to higher-speed passenger rail in the face of HrSR being spurned by other states, including Ohio and neighboring Wisconsin.
FRA spokesman Warren Flatau said the pact allows federal funds for the project to be released.
“It’s a wonderful day for Illinoisans as we celebrate a milestone achievement toward becoming the first state in the nation to bring high speed rail to fruition,” said Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn in a written statement. Said Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), “I’m proud that Illinois continues to lead the country in its pursuit of high speed rail service.”
“Our priority in working out this agreement was to protectUnion Pacific’s ability to provide the exceptional freight service ourcustomers need and expect, while helping public agencies invest in improvedpassenger service,” said UP Chairman and CEO Jim Young. “This agreement allowsus to deliver on those customer commitments.”
