USDOT obligates funding for final phase of Springfield rail improvements

The U.S. Department of Transportation has fully obligated $157 million in federal funding for the final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP), allowing construction to move forward, federal lawmakers from Illinois announced yesterday.

Backed by local, state and federal funding, the multiphase project and is designed to alleviate rail congestion in downtown Springfield, Illinois, by consolidating train traffic from Third Street to 10th Street and constructing a series of overpasses and underpasses along the corridor. The funding will also provide for the construction of a new transportation center, according to a press release issued by U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski's (D-Ill.) office.

This latest phase of the SRIP includes rail improvements, track realignment and the construction of a new Amtrak station in Springfield. The project will complete the final segment of track realignment to consolidate the Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway corridors into one multitrack corridor through the city, which will advance the efforts to provide a higher speed intercity passenger rail connection between St. Louis and Chicago.

In addition to various track improvements and grade crossing separations, the project calls for construction of a multimodal transportation center to improve public transportation connectivity among intercity passenger rail, local bus service and intercity bus service.