April 07, 2022

Duckworth, Durbin Announce Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Infusion to Create Jobs, Improve Illinois’s Transit Systems

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced how Illinois communities of all sizes will benefit from transit support through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will enable transit agencies across the state to create good-paying local jobs, modernize and expand services in Illinois by purchasing new buses and railcars, address repair backlogs and transition to new technologies to address the climate crisis. This announcement is a result of U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) apportioning a total of $853,671,564 apportioned for Illinois in Fiscal Year 2022 grant and formula funding, an increase of 58 percent from before the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is finally putting our nation on a path to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, improve our transit systems and take critical steps toward tackling the climate crisis while also helping working Americans across the country save time and find good-paying jobs,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud that Illinoisans are already seeing the benefits of this deal Senator Durbin and I helped negotiate and pass, which will help working families all across our state have better, safer and more accessible public transportation.”

“This historic infusion of federal infrastructure funding will benefit every corner of our state, in communities both large and small,” Durbin said. “By expanding and improving public transit, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will reduce pollution, create jobs, and better connect Illinoisans. That’s why Senator Duckworth and I worked to pass this legislation and will continue our strong support of Illinois’ transit systems.”

Supported by Duckworth and Durbin and signed into law last year, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is already helping improve the lives of working Americans by making drinking water safer, reducing traffic congestion, allowing infrastructure projects to implement local hiring initiatives and protecting roadside responders, among many other benefits for workers. The law will help Illinois and Illinois communities improve roads, bridges, highways, public transit, airports and more throughout the state to allow for more good-paying jobs, better accessibility and needed investments. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will also help ensure Americans with disabilities can access rail transit, giving them more independence and access to employment by establishing a discretionary grant program for legacy rail fixed guideway public transportation systems, thanks to provisions based off of Duckworth’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act.

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