The Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called for a USD 872 million federal grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to implement Chicago Hub Improvement Programme (CHIP), a proposed series of projects that will invest USD 1.1 billion in regional rail infrastructure and upgrade Union Station.
In this context, an event was held on August 3, 2023, attended by the U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, members of the Illinois congressional delegation, as well as business and industry leaders.
The federal funding would improve performance and reduce delays while strengthening the state’s and city’s position as the country’s transport hub. The effort is supported by USD 50 million from the Governor’s Rebuild Illinois capital programme, which is the largest and only one in state history that includes all transport modes.
Grant applicants include Amtrak, Illinois Department of Transportation, the Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County, Metra, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Michigan Department of Transportation, which are contributing a combined USD 218.2 million toward the improvements.
“The Chicago Hub Improvement Programme is an opportunity for new federal infrastructure funding to catalyze the rail system this region deserves. This proposal would not only make much-needed improvements to Union Station and existing rail lines throughout Illinois and into Michigan — it would unlock a vast system of new and expanded passenger rail services throughout the Midwest, with Chicago’s Union Station serving as the hub,” Governor JB Pritzker said.
The federal grant, which would be delivered under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will be used to improve regional rail infrastructure to deliver better passenger services in the Midwest region, comprising 12 states as well as across the U.S.A.
Chicago Hub Improvement Programme comprises three major components which involve the improvement of Chicago Union Station, and the rail infrastructure across Chicago area, as well as the infrastructure between Chicago and Detroit.
The projects will expand capacity, eliminate bottlenecks, and improve accessibility and customer experience for more than 30 million passengers annually.
Under the plans, the projects at the Chicago Union Station (CUS) will significantly improve passenger experience within the station. During peak periods the station and its components operate at or above capacity, being unable to accommodate increased ridership. The projects to be carried out at the Chicago Union Station aim at modifying and improving platforms, upgrading the concourse, improving ventilation and air quality in the train sheds, and removing obsolete structures to improve safety. Amtrak will activate tracks for passenger use that were first built for the Old Post Office, to increase capacity for Amtrak and Metra service at the station.
Part of the improvement of infrastructure in Chicago area, the asked federal grant will also provide a new connection between Union Station and the St. Charles Air Line bridge – on the Chicago River – over the south branch, that, combined with adjustments to track configurations and additional track east of the bridge, will reduce travel time by 15 minutes on Illini/Saluki and City of New Orleans train route. The projects to be implemented under the CHIP will also make possible additional service to downstate Illinois and St. Louis, as well as to Michigan and Indiana. These endeavors will also enable the long-held vision of connecting O’Hare
Airport, through CUS, to McCormick Place.
The improvement of the Chicago – Detroit connection covers the rejuvenation of 25.7 km (16 miles) of a second track that Amtrak owns in southwest Michigan to eliminate a bottleneck and help reduce by 30 minutes the trip between Chicago and Detroit.
In the past 15 years, ridership in Illinois has doubled, with the introduction this summer of two passenger trains between Chicago and St. Louis running at up to 170 km/h (110mph). Today, more than half of all the country’s long-distance rides begin or end at Union Station. The improvements also are necessary to support expansions to Minneapolis/St. Paul and several destinations to Wisconsin. This will bring benefits to more than 15 intercity routes.
The Illinois Governor is investing USD 33.2 billion in the state’s aging transport system including roads and bridges, transit, waterways, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations across the state. For rail transport, USD 1 billion is invested of which USD 600 million investment supports passenger services.
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