|
Illinois is one step closer to a high-speed rail system. Gov. Pat Quinn recently announced a $685 million agreement for further construction of new rail line linking Chicago and St. Louis. The first trains traveling at 110 mph on the Chicago-to-St. Louis line will make their debut between Dwight and Pontiac as early as next year. "High-speed rail is more than just an alternative mode of travel-it is a shot in the arm to today's recovering economy, and an investment in infrastructure that will serve us for generations to come," said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement. The first phase of the line-a $98-million upgrade of tracks between Lincoln and Alton-was launched last September, making Illinois the first state to break ground under the federal initiative to develop a Midwest high-speed rail network. |
