Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Transportation and Infrastructure
Durbin Meets With Champaign Chamber to Discuss Regional Transportation Priorities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with leaders from Champaign County Chamber of Commerce who were in Washington, D.C. for their annual fly-in to discuss local transportation priorities, including job-creating road construction projects. Durbin also discussed bipartisan legislation he has introduced called the Marketplace Fairness Act which would allow local brick-and-mortar retailers in Champaign and across Illinois to compete more effectively against out-of-state in… Continue Reading
02.24.12
Durbin: House Republicans Right to Drop Partisan Transportation Bill that Would Decimate Local Projects and Transit Systems
[PEORIA, IL] - After House Republicans reportedly scrapped their second attempt to pass a partisan transportation funding bill yesterday in the face of overwhelming bipartisan opposition, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today called on Republican leaders to consider a bipartisan, two-year compromise-like the Senate transportation bill that passed a major procedural hurdle earlier this month by a vote of 85-11. Unless House Republicans reverse course and work in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation a… Continue Reading
02.23.12
Durbin Joins Mayor Spring and Cape Air to Dedicate Newly-Opened Maintenance Facility at Quincy Regional Airport
[QUINCY, IL] - As passenger traffic at Quincy Regional Airport reaches an all-time high, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin signaled the strength and importance of the Quincy community's relationship with Cape Air today by dedicating a new facility for regular and unscheduled airplane maintenance. With this facility, Cape Air increases its presence in the Quincy community and adds three highly skilled and good-paying jobs to the area, with the potential for additional job growth. "The opening of this ma… Continue Reading
02.21.12
Durbin: House Republicans Should Go Back to Drawing Board on Transportation Bill
[CHICAGO, IL] - The House Republicans should go back to the drawing board rather than piece together a partisan transportation bill that has little chance of passing, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said today. Federal funding for transportation agencies throughout Illinois-including the Chicago Transit Authority and Metra-is at serious risk under the House Republican proposal. The Senate's transportation funding bill-an alternative proposal which enjoys bipartisan support-passed a major procedural hu… Continue Reading
02.10.12
Durbin Announces Nearly $2 Million in Federal Funding for Springfield Transit
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] - Transit users in Springfield will soon be able to ride on cleaner, more efficient buses as the result of nearly $2 million in federal transit funding, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. The Springfield Mass Transit District received $1.95 million to replace five aging buses with new clean diesel models through the Federal Transit Authority. "These new buses will allow Springfield to save money on fuel and keep our air clean because they use fuel more efficiently … Continue Reading
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 ra… Continue Reading
02.07.12
Durbin: Congress Approves Bill to Protect Essential Air Service for Illinois Communities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that late last night the U.S. Senate approved legislation that will ensure that Illinois communities including Marion, Quincy and Decatur will remain a part of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act - approved by the U.S. House of Representatives last week and will now go to the President for his signature - helps rural areas keep the commercial air service they ha… Continue Reading
02.06.12
Congress Approves Durbin Provision to Encourage Sustainable Airport Design
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A provision, authored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), that would help the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) create a standardized, voluntary set of best practices to help airports operate and build sustainable facilities was included in the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act which was approved today by the U.S. Senate. The provision would establish a working group to develop these standards and help create a voluntary rating system. The… Continue Reading
02.06.12
Congress Approves Durbin Provision to Encourage Partnerships Between Air and Rail Travel
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A provision, authored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), requiring the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study ways to increase coordination between air and passenger rail travel is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act which was approved today by the U.S. Senate. The provision specifically identifies codeshare agreements as one way that airlines and passenger rail providers can better coor… Continue Reading
02.06.12
Durbin Commends Amtrak and Metra for Actions to Lower Pollution, Calls on Old Post Office Owner to Cooperate
[CHICAGO, IL] - A collaborative effort among Amtrak, Metra, and state and federal agencies to reduce diesel soot emissions and improve air quality in and around Union Station has already produced positive results, but further progress requires the full cooperation of adjacent property owners, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin wrote a letter today to the owner of the Old Post Office located south of Union Station to ask that he properly maintain and operate the ventilation system… Continue Reading
01.31.12
Durbin: Illinois in Need of Increased Rail Investment Under New Transportation Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today asked the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation to increase funding for job creating Illinois rail and multimodal priorities - including rail line relocation grants, Amtrak and the TIGER grant program - in its bill to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Act. Durbin also urged the Committee to reject the proposals in the House Transportation bill that would eliminate or dramatically reduce funding for programs that are ess… Continue Reading
01.09.12
Durbin and Quinn Announce $7.7 Million in Investment to Help Illinois Communities Recover from Storms
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today announced a more than $7.7 million investment in Illinois communities to help cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by storms last year. Today's funding is provided through the Department of Transportation's Emergency Relief program which funds the repair and reconstruction of federal highways and roads that have suffered serious damage as a result of natural disasters and other outside fac… Continue Reading
12.12.11
Durbin, Quinn, Costello, Emanuel, Hoechst Announce Illinois to Receive $44 Million Investment Through Tiger Grant Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL) joined Mayors Rahm Emanuel of Chicago and Tom Hoechst of Alton today in announcing that Illinois will receive a total of $44,288,000 in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant funding for three Illinois projects in the Chicagoland area and Alton. The grants represent approximately 8 percent of total funding available through the program. … Continue Reading
12.07.11
Durbin Applauds STB Decision to Further Investigate Canadian National in Light of Recent Train Derailment
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for exercising its oversight authority to determine whether Canadian National is properly maintaining and upgrading the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern (EJ&E) Railway to handle hazardous materials and prevent derailments in light of a recent train derailment in an area near Elgin, Illinois. In a letter to Canadian National, the STB explained that this is the second audit ordered of Canadi… Continue Reading
12.05.11
Durbin, Kirk Request Surface Transportation Board Review of Barrington EJ&E Study
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today sent a letter to members of the Surface Transportation Board regarding the Village of Barrington's petition seeking additional mitigation efforts from the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) following its acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E). In May, the Village commissioned a study regarding the impact of CN's increased use of the EJ&E line that bisects the community. The Vi… Continue Reading
11.30.11
Durbin, Kirk to American Airlines: Keep Illinois Routes and Projects a Priority
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to the Chairman and CEO of AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today urged the airline to make Illinois routes and projects - such as the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) and downstate air service - a priority as it moves forward with bankruptcy proceedings. "American Airlines has a long history in Illinois: American began air service in Illinois in 1926, when Charles Lindbergh carr… Continue Reading
11.18.11
Durbin: STB Taking a Closer Look at Canadian National in Light of Recent Train Derailment
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a letter to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Surface Transportation Board (STB) confirmed that they are closely monitoring Canadian National's operation of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern (EJ&E) Railway and working with the Federal Railroad Administration in light of a recent train derailment. The train which was reportedly carrying hazardous material chemicals - sodium hydroxide and ferric sulfate - derailed on November 3, throwing 22 train cars off the tracks a… Continue Reading
11.15.11
Durbin Announces More than $8.2 Million in DOT Funding to Reduce Illinois' Reliance on Foreign Oil
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that three Illinois transportation service providers and organizations have been awarded a total of $8,208,000 in competitive grants by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This funding will be used by the grant recipients to reduce their reliance on foreign oil, promote use of clean fuels, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "Increasing use of cleaner, more energy efficient vehicles in public transportation throughout Illino… Continue Reading
11.15.11
Durbin: Final Transportation Funding Bill Protects Illinois Amtrak
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after a Conference Committee between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives released a final appropriations bill that includes funding for transportation projects in Illinois and around the country. The legislation will now go to the House and Senate for final approval. "By rejecting the House Republican proposal that would have devastated Illinois Amtrak, the members of the Conference … Continue Reading
11.14.11
Durbin Asks Committee to Include Illinois Transit Priorities in Next Surface Transportation Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today asked the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs to include funding for Illinois transit priorities in their bill to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Act. Last week, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) voted unanimously to favorably report its portion of the legislation. The Banking Committee, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and Senate Finance Committee all must address… Continue Reading