Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Transportation and Infrastructure
Durbin, Duckworth, Quigley Announce $1 Million In Federal Funds For Additional Safety Indicators At CTA’s Control Center
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-5) today announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has awarded the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) $1,078,300 to fund their Operations Control Center Safety Enhancements Project. The project would add additional safety indicators to the CTA's Control Center (CC) and better integrate critical information col… Continue Reading
01.10.17
Durbin And Duckworth Meet To Discuss Legislative Priorities For Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met to discuss priority issues for the state of Illinois. During the meeting, Durbin and Duckworth discussed short- and long-term goals and priorities for Illinois, including ways to create jobs, invest in infrastructure and grow the state's economy. "Senator Duckworth's journey to the Senate is an inspiration to me and people across America. She brings new energy, ideas and a unique experience in public service to address … Continue Reading
01.09.17
Durbin To IDOT: Continue Working With Community To Address Concerns For Increased Service On Amtrak’s Hiawatha Line
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today encouraged the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to continue to work with community leaders and area residents as planning moves forward for increased Amtrak service on the Hiawatha line between Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. IDOT recently extended the proposal's public comment period to allow additional time for the consideration of surrounding communities' concerns. "Reducing any negative local impact of the proposed … Continue Reading
01.09.17
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $117 Million In Federal Funding For Rural Community Development In Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $117,920,000 in federal funding for Edgar, Kankakee, Madison, Perry Counties to support rural community development projects. Today's funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Community Development Initiative Grant, will provide assistance to benefit the City of Paris, Illinois, Olivet Nazarene University Foundation, the Village of St. Jacob, Illinois, and Pinckneyville Community … Continue Reading
01.06.17
Durbin Announces $1.3 Million In HUD Funding For Illinois Housing And Community Development
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that five communities in Illinois will receive a total of $1,354,321 in grant funding through the Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinators (SC) Grant Program. This federal grant program is administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide funding to hire and maintain Service Coordinators who will assess the needs of residents of public housing and coordinate available resour… Continue Reading
05.28.14
Senators Urge Transportation Department to Improve Federal Oversight of Pipelines
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) today urged the Department of Transportation to quickly implement the policy recommendations made in the agency's internal audit to improve federal oversight of the nation's pipeline system. Following a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended an audit of how the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) oversees state insp… Continue Reading
05.28.14
Durbin, Bustos Announce $756,000 Investment For Mississippi River Ferry Boat Terminal in Moline
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced a $756,350 federal investment that will go to the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District for the construction of a new Channel Cat Passenger Ferryboat Terminal on the Mississippi River in Moline. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Discretionary Passenger Ferry Grant Program. "This federal funding will create jobs and make improvements t… Continue Reading
04.08.14
Durbin Meets With Transportation Secretary to Discuss Illinois Transportation Issues
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a meeting with the Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) discussed the importance of a robust investment in Illinois transportation as part of any new transportation bill. The current transportation bill - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) - expires on October 1, 2014. They also discussed both freight and passenger rail safety. "Secretary Foxx and I discussed the importance of Illinois' airports, highways, … Continue Reading
03.05.14
Durbin: As National Transportation Hub, Illinois Infrastructure Will Benefit From Historic Investments in Presidential Budget
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the budget that President Obama delivered to Congress today will create jobs and give our economy a shot in the arm by making critical investments in our national transportation and infrastructure network. "Illinois' airports, highways, waterways, and rail lines are at the center of our national transportation network. Maintaining and modernizing this quickly aging network is vital to our future economic well-being, and must be one of our national priorit… Continue Reading
01.30.14
Durbin Calls for Federal Investigation Into Monday's Deadly Tollway Crash
US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to "immediately and fully" investigate Monday's deadly tollway crash on I-88 in Aurora, Illinois. According to news reports, the driver in the crash had been on the road for more than 30 hours with little to no sleep, in violation of federal law. In a letter to FMCSA's Administrator Anne Ferro, Durbin asked the agency to determine if the driver, or his employer, DND International, violated r… Continue Reading
01.28.14
Durbin Statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today following President Obama's State of the Union address: "Tonight the President gave an optimistic speech about opportunity for American families, an economy on the rise and leveled a call to action to ensure this is a year of progress for the middle class." "From programs to grow the economy and create jobs like the launching of new manufacturing institutes and infrastructure investment… Continue Reading
01.17.14
CTA Poised to Benefit from Funding of New "Core Capacity" Program
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today said that as the only transit system currently accepted into the FTA's Core Capacity Program, the CTA is poised to benefit from the infusion of funding included in the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which was passed on a bipartisan Senate vote yesterday and now moves to President Obama's desk for his signature. Every mem… Continue Reading
01.14.14
Omnibus Appropriations Bill Makes Funding Available for CTA Under Core Capacity Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Omnibus Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2014 honors the $120 million included in the President's Budget to fund a competitive grant program he created as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) which was signed into law in 2012. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) became the first transit system accepted into the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)'s "Core Capacity" Program in No… Continue Reading
12.11.13
Durbin: Amtrak Ridership in Illinois is on the Rise
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - As Amtrak ridership numbers continue to grow, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with Amtrak Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Coscia and former Mayor of Macomb, Illinois and current member of the Amtrak Board of Directors, Thomas Carper. A photo of today's meeting is available here. "Amtrak made incredible progress under Chairman Carper's leadership, and we have already seen that trend continue with Chairman Coscia," Durbin said. "Congress must also do its part … Continue Reading
12.05.13
Durbin Asks Metra to Clarify Position on New Safety System
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Metra Board of Directors to clarify their position on implementing Positive Train Control (PTC) - a communications-based system designed to prevent certain types of train accidents caused by human factors - and report back to the Illinois Congressional Delegation with recommendations. "Meeting the federal deadline of implementing PTC will be challenging. The Federal Railroad Administration has offered suggestions to Co… Continue Reading
12.05.13
Durbin Visits Macomb Transit Facility
[MACOMB, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) visited the Macomb Transit Facility today to see firsthand how the new facility is functioning as a central hub for mass transit service in McDonough County. The facility was built from repurposed factory space with the help of a $12.8 million federal investment, including $5.6 million in earmarks secured by Durbin beginning in 2002. "The Macomb Transit Facility is an example of the value of federal investment in transportation projects," Durbi… Continue Reading
09.18.13
Durbin Announces Nearly $8.5 Million in Workforce Development and Training Grants for Illinois Community Colleges
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Labor has awarded a total of $8,460,255 in funding through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training program to four colleges and universities throughout Illinois. The funding announced today is intended to help create and expand innovative partnerships between community colleges and businesses to educate and train workers with the skills employers need. The National Associatio… Continue Reading
08.30.13
Springfield to Receive $14.4 Million in Federal TIGER Grant Funds for Carpenter Street Underpass
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers today announced that the City of Springfield, Illinois has been awarded $14.4 million for the construction of a railroad underpass at Carpenter Street - an important component of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project and the entire Chicago-to-St. Louis passenger rail corridor. In June, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined U.S. Representatives Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) and Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) united in sup… Continue Reading
08.13.13
Durbin: FRA Taking Proactive Steps to Ensure Continued Safety of Metra Riders
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In response to a letter from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) committed to increase safety oversight of Metra operations by taking additional steps to ensure that safety rules and regulations are being followed and the lines of communication are open between employees and management on all safety issues. According to a letter sent to Durbin by FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo, the FRA will further exercise its oversight authority by i… Continue Reading
08.01.13
Durbin: THUD Bill Is the Latest Casualty of the Failed GOP Budget
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke at a press conference today following a failed vote on the spending bill to fund the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the 2014 fiscal year. Despite being passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 22-8, the measure failed to reach the necessary 60-vote threshold by a vote of 54-43. "Standing behind us are some men and women in the buildi… Continue Reading