Prairie State Wire

Governor JB Pritzker, alongside U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other state leaders, is advocating for federal investment in the Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP). This initiative aims to enhance regional rail infrastructure with a $1.1 billion investment to upgrade Union Station and improve rail performance, supported by $50 million from the Rebuild Illinois capital program.

Governor Pritzker stated, "The Chicago Hub Improvement Program is an opportunity for new federal infrastructure funding to catalyze the rail system this region deserves." He emphasized that the proposal would improve Union Station and existing rail lines throughout Illinois and Michigan while expanding passenger rail services across the Midwest.

The program seeks an $872.8 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration's Federal/State Partnership Program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This funding will facilitate improvements to benefit over 30 million passengers annually by enhancing capacity, reducing bottlenecks, and improving air quality.

Applicants for the grant include Amtrak, Illinois Department of Transportation, Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County, Metra, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and Michigan Department of Transportation. They are collectively contributing $218.2 million toward these improvements.

Improvements at Union Station will involve platform upgrades, concourse enhancements, track reactivation for passenger use originally built for the Old Post Office, ventilation system upgrades, and a new connection between Union Station and St. Charles Air Line bridge over the south branch of the Chicago River.

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth remarked on CHIP's significance: "The Chicago Hub Improvement Program would not only improve rail service and reliability for folks in Chicago and throughout Illinois...it will mean fewer delays and safer service."

Senator Dick Durbin highlighted the project's importance: "Chicago has long been the heart of America's rail network...we must evolve with the times."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed support: "I join the voices calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund [CHIP]."

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle also endorsed CHIP as a financial partner: "This transformational program will help...reach important transportation goals."

Congressman Mike Quigley emphasized CHIP's alignment with national infrastructure goals: "When Congress voted...to create a generational investment in our nation's infrastructure...it was projects like [CHIP] that we had in mind."

Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia sees CHIP as an opportunity to solidify Chicago's role as a national rail hub: "The time is now to seize [this] opportunity..."

Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman underscored CHIP's transformative potential: "[These] improvements will be felt across our entire multimodal system..."

Michigan State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich praised CHIP's impact on Michigan passengers: "[CHIP] will make strategic investments...to improve access..."

Bob Reiter from Chicago Federation of Labor highlighted labor benefits: "[We] invest in modernizing...our infrastructure..."

Michael Macellaio from Building & Construction Trades Council echoed similar sentiments about job creation.

Robert W. Guy from SMART-Transportation Division commended state leaders' support for passenger rail development.

Brian Shanahan from Transportation Communications Union/IAM called CHIP a bold vision that would modernize Union Station while creating union jobs.