11.22.19

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $25 Million For Public Transportation Improvement In Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced more than $25 million in federal funding awarded to Illinois communities to replace and rehabilitate buses and their facilities. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program.

“This funding will help our public transit systems continue to provide safe and reliable service to the thousands of Illinoisans who rely on them each day,” said Durbin. “Senator Duckworth and I will continue fighting to ensure all parts of our state have access to these important federal investments.”

“Public transit is a critical component of Illinois’s dynamic transportation system,” said Duckworth. “Today’s funding will help make sure Illinoisans have reliable and safe transportation options to get them where they need to go. I will continue working with Senator Durbin to secure federal resources for projects like these and other critical infrastructure projects across our state.”

Under this announcement, the following entities have been awarded funding:

  • Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District: $17,275,000 for the expansion of its Illinois Terminal
  • Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System: $500,000 for its Better Bus Stop campaign

The Illinois Department of Transportation will also receive $8 million, which will be used for the following: 

  • Champaign County for the procurement of four paratransit vehicles, with three paratransit vehicles as replacements and one paratransit vehicle for expansion
  • Coles County for procurement of two paratransit vehicles to replace two existing paratransit vehicles
  • City of Ottawa for rehabilitation of fixed route facility that will convert the facility into a fully equipped maintenance garage, allowing a more comprehensive maintenance program.
  • Jackson County Mass Transit District for the construction of an operations/storage/maintenance facility
  • Kankakee County for procurement of bus equipment (ADA PA systems) 
  • Logan County for procurement of bus equipment (ADA PA systems)
  • McLean County for procurement of bus equipment (ADA PA systems)
  • Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District to be used in fixed route operations
  • South Central Illinois Mass Transit District for procurement of bus equipment and facility equipment

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