02.09.12

Durbin, Quinn Applaud Nearly $2 Million Federal Investment in Rockford Multi-Modal Station

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today announced that $1.95 million in federal funding has been awarded to the Rockford area for the development and design of a new multi-modal station in Rockford. Today’s funding is in addition to the $3 million in Illinois Jobs Now! capital plan funding that was announced last month by Quinn.

 

“With this new multimodal station, Rockford is set to benefit from the economic boost that comes with passenger rail,” said Durbin. “Today’s funding will only increase the impact that Amtrak will have in the region. I thank Governor Quinn for working with me to bring passenger rail to Northern Illinois and his leadership in jumpstarting important job creating projects like this.”

 

“Our investment in Rockford's multi-modal station and the Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque corridor will attract more economic development to the Rockford area and help bring rail access back to a region that has not seen service in decades,” Governor Quinn said. “Sen. Durbin's invaluable support of projects like these help us to continue investing in the economy and the people of Illinois. This additional federal funding will allow us to support construction jobs, as well as the hundreds of design and engineering jobs on the multi-modal station.”

 

The total cost of the new multi-modal station is expected to be approximately $12 million, including design and engineering. Because the new funding announced today will be used for development and design work, a significant portion of the $3 million announced last week by Quinn will be freed up to use toward construction of the project.

 

The new station, which will serve Amtrak’s new Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque corridor, replaces a dilapidated structure that the city of Rockford demolished at its own expense last year. The facility will support both passenger rail and public transit, which will improve accessibility and air quality by reducing vehicle emissions. The Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque corridor is expected to carry one round-trip per day with planned stops in South Elgin, Genoa, Rockford, Freeport and Galena. Construction on the new multi-modal facility and the corridor is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.