(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois is moving ahead with plans to resume passenger rail service between Rockford and Chicago after a decades-long absence.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the step two years after allocating $275 million for the project in the state’s capital budget.
“Metra will launch passenger service in 2027 between Rockford and Chicago,” Pritzker said. “After more than 40 years, the Milwaukee District West Line and Union Pacific Railroad partnership will extend service beyond Elgin to reach Rockford.”
Some people in Rockford have been pushing for it ever since Amtrak discontinued service between two of the state’s biggest cities in 1981.
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said the proposed two round trips per day to the Loop would give a boost to tourism and encourage remote workers to live in Rockford.
“This will allow our residents to get in and out of Chicago without the congestion, without the headaches and help improve our residents’ quality of life,” McNamara said.
If the project gets approval from Metra’s board, then it will require agreements with the rail service, as well as the Illinois Department of Transportation and Union Pacific.
Engineering studies would follow, with the goal of determining what kind of track upgrades would be needed to increase speeds and build connections from Elgin.
Metra CEO Jim Derwinski said passenger rail service is very complicated, but he added that they’re up to the challenge of extending the Milwaukee District West line to make the 90-mile trip possible.
“This is a major step for Illinois: Bringing back the two largest regions of Illinois through passenger rail,” he said. “It’s a major step for Metra, as well, for us to journey outside our normal, six-county region.”
Thursday’s announcement came two weeks after the state announced faster Amtrak trains from Chicago to St Louis.
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