Illinois rail projects gain $2.9B in funding under new state program

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation this week announced a $50.6 billion, six-year blueprint for building and repairing infrastructure, the largest such program in state history. 

Spread across all modes of transportation and the state's 102 counties, the program calls for investments in roads and bridges, aviation, transit, freight and passenger rail, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The $50.6 billion eclipses the previous record of $41.4 billion set last year, according to a press release issued by Pritzker's office.

The Fiscal-Year 2026-31 Proposed Highway and Multimodal Improvement Program includes $13.8 billion for transit, $2.9 billion for freight and passenger rail, and $200 million for ports and waterways.

Illinois' rail network consists of 9,982 miles of railroad tracks, 7,792 of which are operated by Class Is, primarily BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. New to this year’s multiyear program is $400 million made available through special legislative appropriation and signed by Pritzker to help further address local transportation needs, with consideration given to disadvantaged or economically distressed communities.

A number of major passenger-rail projects are part of the allocations, including a $270 million investment to re-establish passenger-rail service between Rockford and Chicago. Another $388.8 million will re-establish passenger rail service between Chicago and the Quad Cities, an NBC affiliate in Chicago reported.

Another $98 million was earmarked for upgrades to Amtrak’s Saluki service between Chicago and Carbondale, with $175 million carved out for operations and training for the Chicago Transit Authority, the station reported.

Of the 223 projects, 177 are for roads, 34 for bike and pedestrian improvements, 10 for transit, two for ports. All projects required a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise goal to uplift small, local minority- and women-owned firms, state officials said.

"Over the next six years, we’ll continue investing across the board in order to build the best infrastructure system in the nation — and create good jobs for Illinoisans in the process," Pritzker said.