Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Transportation and Infrastructure
Durbin and Kirk Ask Federal Officials to Examine Opportunities to Strengthen Protections Along Lake Michigan Shoreline
[CHICAGO, IL] - Following one of the heaviest snowfalls in Chicago's history, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) are asking federal and local officials to determine whether all areas of the Lake Michigan shoreline adequately protect Lake Shore Drive and the City of Chicago. In a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers and the Secretary of Transportation, Durbin and Kirk have requested that they consider the impact waves could have had along the shore if Lak… Continue Reading
02.03.11
Durbin Asks FEMA to Acknowledge Existence of Metro East Levees in Flood Mapping Process
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin helped organize a bipartisan group of Senators that asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stop using it's 'without levee' designation and acknowledge the existence of the Metro East and other levees when mapping flood plains. Last year Durbin announced that, through his efforts, FEMA chose to delay the implementation of the new flood maps for the St. Louis region until December 2011 and stressed the importance of the delay i… Continue Reading
02.02.11
Durbin Provision to Encourage Sustainable Airport Design Included in FAA Bill
[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 is currently being debated by the U.S. Senate. The provision would establish a working group to develop these standards and help create a voluntary rating syst… Continue Reading
02.02.11
Durbin Provision to Study Partnerships Between Air and Rail Travel Included in FAA Bill
[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 is currently being debated by the U.S. Senate. The provision specifically identifies codeshare agreements as one way that airlines and passenger rail providers can bet… Continue Reading
01.11.11
Durbin: Illinois Commerce Commission Will Post CN Agreements With Illinois Communities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that, in response to his request to bring more oversight and transparency to Canadian National (CN)'s acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (EJ&E), the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has agreed to make public the voluntary mitigation agreements CN has with 26 of the 33 affected communities in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Currently, neither CN nor the Surface Board of Transportation has made any of thes… Continue Reading
12.21.10
Durbin Asks for Increased Transparency in Light of Unprecedented $250,000 Fine Issued Against CN for Violations
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - After learning that the Surface Transportation Board issued an unprecedented $250,000 fine against Canadian National (CN) for violations along the recently acquired Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (EJ&E), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to bring more oversight and transparency to the voluntary agreements CN has with 26 of the 33 affected communities in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Currently, neither CN nor the Surfa… Continue Reading
12.21.10
Durbin: CTA to Receive $1.6 Million for Chicago Western Corridor Rapid Transit Bus Network Project
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) ) today announced that the Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration has awarded a $1,600,000 grant to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to help plan for a bus rapid transit system deployment along the CTA's Western Corridor that will enhance public transportation access and choices for roughly 250,000 residents. "Today's funding will help decrease travel times, improve reliability, and expand public… Continue Reading
12.09.10
Durbin Announces $42.3 Million in Additional High Speed Rail Funding for Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will receive $42.3 million in additional high speed rail funding to finance track and other improvements on the Chicago to St. Louis corridor. Earlier today the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Ray LaHood, reprogrammed a total of $1.2 billion in funding that was rejected by the incoming governors of Ohio and Wisconsin. "Illinois will be able to use this funding to break ground on projects that we… Continue Reading
11.15.10
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Funding Commitment for New O'Hare South Air Traffic Control Tower
[CHICAGO - U.S.] Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration will fund the design and construction of a new South Air Traffic Control Tower at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, scheduled to be built as part of the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP). The agreement will allow Chicago to complete the construction of the tower in time for the successful commissioning of the new runway 10R/28L, which is scheduled for completion in early 2015. "O'Hare i… Continue Reading
11.12.10
Durbin: Success of Cape Air in Downstate Communities Creates Opportunity for Continued Essential Air Service
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Transportation will begin soliciting proposals from air carriers interested in providing service starting December 1, 2011 in the communities of Quincy and Marion/Herrin. The current provider Cape Air - whose contract with the Department is schedule to expire on November 30, 2011 - has dramatically increased ridership on flights to and from both communities. "The success of Cape Air… Continue Reading
11.08.10
Durbin Calls on Federal Agencies to Investigate Air Quality on Passenger Rail
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to the heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), asking them to review the findings of an investigative report by the Chicago Tribune which showed that Metra commuters and workers may be exposed to excessively high levels of diesel soot. Diesel exhaust contains many air pollutants… Continue Reading
10.28.10
Durbin: Expansion of Chrysler Plant in Belvidere will Allow Company to Create or Retain Jobs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the decision by Chrysler Group LLC to invest $600 million in expanding the company's Belvidere Assembly Plant in Northern Illinois. The expansion project will allow Chrysler to retain 1,950 jobs on two full shifts. The upgraded facilities would also support more than 500 contract employees and create the possibility of adding a third shift. "Over the years the Belvidere plant has changed with the nation's auto market but it… Continue Reading
10.25.10
Durbin, Harkin Announce $230 Million in Funding for New Rail Service from Chicago to Iowa City through the Quad Cities
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced that $230 million in federal funding was awarded today by the Department of Transportation for a new Amtrak route between Chicago and Iowa City through the Quad Cities. The project - scheduled for completion in 2015 - will create 588 jobs per year for the first four years of design and construction. Once initiated, the new service is expected to increase business activity at $25 million per year. "Securing su… Continue Reading
10.25.10
Durbin Announces an Additional $7 Million in Funding for Illinois Related Rail Projects
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In addition to the $230 million in funding announced earlier today for Chicago-Quad Cities-Iowa City route, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded nearly $7 million in funding to two rail projects that will positively impact Illinois rail. The $236.9 million in total funding for projects affecting Illinois will support a regional effort by nine Midwestern States to build an integrated high speed rail network. These state… Continue Reading
10.15.10
Bean, Durbin Announce $2.8 Million for EJ&E Mitigation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Congresswoman Melissa Bean and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the City of Barrington will receive a $2.8 million grant to fund 100 percent of the planning, designing and engineering of a grade separation at the U.S. Route 14 and Eastern Joliet & Elgin (EJ&E) Railway crossing. The funding was awarded today by the Department of Transportation through the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program. "These funds … Continue Reading
10.15.10
Durbin Announces $22.8 Million in TIGER II Funding for Job Creating Transportation Projects in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that three Illinois transportation projects will receive a total of $22.8 million in funding through the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program. Nearly $19 billion in bids were submitted nationwide for the $600 million that was awarded today by the Department of Transportation through the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) program created i… Continue Reading
10.01.10
Durbin Announces $58.9 Million in DOT Grants for Illinois Transit
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that several Illinois transit projects have received a total of $58.9 million in grants through the United States Department of Transportation. • Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago: $32,000,000 to provide rehabilitation at existing bus garages and at bus heavy maintenance facility. This project will target systems such as roofs, hoists, inspection pits, electrical system upgrades, and other elements. The project will be i… Continue Reading
06.24.10
Durbin: Quad City Airport to Receive Nearly $4 Million Grant for Runway Reconstruction
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $3,900,000 grant to Quad City International Airport for the reconstruction of runway 9/27. This funding will help continue the airport's efforts to completely reconstruct the 10,000-foot runway."Quad City International Airport is a critical transportation link for central Illinois," said Durbin. "This renewed runway will help put the airport in the stro… Continue Reading
06.22.10
Durbin Announces $400,000 in Grant Funding for Peoria International Airport
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $400,000 grant to the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. This funding will be used to install a 10-foot wildlife fence designed to increase safety and discourage animals from entering the airfield."The Peoria International Airport is a critical transportation link for central Illinois," said Durbin. "This funding will contribute to t… Continue Reading
06.22.10
Durbin Announces $550,000 in Grant Funding for Chicago Rockford International Airport
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $550,000 grant to the Chicago Rockford International Airport. This funding will be used to data collection and airport imagery acquisition. The data and imagery will be uploaded to the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Geographic Information System and contribute to the development of an electronic Airport Layout Plan.Chicago Rockford Internati… Continue Reading