September 18, 2020

Duckworth, Durbin Announce $10 Million For Springfield Rail Improvement Project

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the City of Springfield has been awarded $10 million in federal funding for the Springfield Rail Improvement Project.  Today’s investment, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, will fund the replacement of two existing rail bridges at the South Grand Avenue and Cook Street underpasses with double-track bridges, and close the existing crossing at Jackson Street.

“This infusion of federal funding to the City of Springfield will upgrade a critical link in our state’s rail network and help improve reliability and safety for both rail and roadway users,” said Duckworth. “I’ll keep working with Senator Durbin to make sure Springfield and other communities all across Illinois receive the federal support they need to create good-paying jobs, ensure safer transit and improve infrastructure in every corner of our state.”

“This important investment will not only improve rail speed and service reliability, it will help keep passengers, drivers, and pedestrians safe. It also creates good paying jobs for the people of Springfield,” said Durbin. “Senator Duckworth and I are proud to support this improvement project, and will continue advocating for strong investments in Illinois’ transportation infrastructure.”

“This CRISI grant is extremely timely and shows our community continuous progress during the era of COVID-19.  It is important to modernize our older underpasses and as a high traffic area, the Cook and South Grand underpass is in need of these improvements,” said Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder. “Springfield is very thankful for the efforts of Senator Duckworth and Senator Durbin and all our legislative leaders on the federal and state level, for their ongoing vital support in order to bring this rail project to a successful completion.”

Duckworth and Durbin have been longtime supporters of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project, with Durbin initially helping secure a $14.4 million TIGER grant in 2013 for the construction of a railroad underpass at Carpenter Street. Last year, Duckworth and Durbin helped Springfield secure a $22 million DOT BUILD grant to support the replacement of a track bridge with two new double track bridges over 5th and 6th Streets. In total, more than $62 million in federal grants have been awarded to support rail improvements in Springfield since 2013. 

 

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