Public meeting to share information on Chicago-Rockford passenger rail service

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting in Rockford to provide updates on plans to reestablish passenger rail service between Chicago and Rockford, a project made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker's historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. The meeting will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, at the RPL Nordlof Center, 118 N. Main Street, Rockford.

At the meeting, the public will have the opportunity to learn about the project and provide feedback. The event will be held in an open-house format, with a video presentation, exhibit boards and other project information available. Staff also will be on hand to answer questions.

Tentatively scheduled to begin in 2027, the new service will connect Chicago and Rockford, with stops anticipated in Elgin, Huntley and Belvidere. Travel time between Chicago and Rockford is anticipated to be slightly less than two hours, with two round trips a day. A fare structure and schedule are still to be determined. Other project components include improved grade crossings, upgraded bridges and double tracking at various locations. Stations also will be built in Rockford, Huntley and Belvidere.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Six of Rebuild Illinois include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide on 7,897 miles of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements.

For more information, visit www.chicagotorockfordrail.org.

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