by lpetrich
High-speed rail work to begin in September - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register
Work will begin in September on a high-speed rail line between Chicago and St. Louis, Gov. Pat Quinn announced Tuesday.The total length of the route is about 300 mi, making that 1/3 of the total.
The $98 million for new rail and concrete ties on 90 miles of Union Pacific tracks between Alton and Springfield and between the capital city and Lincoln is just a fraction of the $1.2 billion in stimulus money the federal government awarded Illinois in January.
No work is planned for Springfield, where Union Pacific has already upgraded tracks and the state is paying for a study to determine the best route through the city. Civic leaders have objected to using Union Pacific tracks along Third Street, saying that rail traffic should be consolidated on tracks along 10th Street to avoid dividing the city.