Quad Cities Amtrak funding: Pritzker to sign Illinois bill today

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign legislation today that advances Quad Cities Amtrak funding for service between the Quad Cities and Chicago, as reported by iHeartRadio.

Quad Cities Amtrak funding and the route to Chicago

The bill is intended to support Amtrak service from the Quad Cities to Chicago, including trains that would run from downtown Moline to Chicago. The Chicago–Quad Cities rail effort has also been tracked in industry coverage, including Railway Supply.

Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act and the CTA–Metra–Pace merger

The funding sits within the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act, as described by the State of Illinois Newsroom, and the measure will merge Chicago’s CTA, Metra and Pace into a single entity. The legislation totals $1.5 billion, funded through gas taxes and Illinois Tollway revenues.

Iowa Interstate Railroad track access remains the final hurdle

With the funding package in place, the project still depends on an Iowa Interstate Railroad track access agreement. That track access is described as the final hurdle for launching Amtrak service from downtown Moline to Chicago and completing the Quad Cities-to-Chicago plan.

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