Cuts Would Eliminate Railroad Flyover Project

A proposed project to ease rail congestion is now in jeopardy.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) will hold a news conference Thursday to highlight the cuts in the Republican budget proposal. Among the projects that would be affected by the cuts is the Englewood Flyover construction project.

The project calls for the construction of a rail flyover that would carry the north-south Metra Rock Island Line over the east-west Norfolk Southern Amtrak Line. Its purpose is to ease congestion between Amtrak, Metra and freight traffic.

The flyover would be a triple-tracked bridge, including a possible fifth track for a potential high-speed intercity train, according to published reports.

The project would have created 1,400 jobs. It received $133 million in stimulus funds last year, but the GOP cuts would eliminate the funding for the project altogether.