Construction work has finally started to restore passenger rail service between the Quad Cities and Chicago. That was the announcement today (tuesday) from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Spokesman Guy Tridgell says 23 million dollars will be spent at the rail yard in Aurora, owned by the BNSF Railway.
This part of the project should be finished by next summer, and take care of the new passenger route between Chicago and Wyanet, in Bureau County.
Tridgell says the 53 miles from Wyanet to Moline are owned by the Iowa Interstate Railroad, and an agreement was reached earlier this year to study what track and signal improvements will be needed.
Tridgell says once the construction schedule is known, then it might be possible to set a starting date for the new passenger rail service.
Overall the project will cost 255 million dollars, with most coming from the federal government, but Illinois will contribute about 45 per cent, or 78 million dollars.
