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Last week, the Illinois Department of Transportation broke ground on a new multi-modal transportation center in downtown Joliet that will serve as a key stop along the Chicago-St. Louis high-speed rail line.

Joliet's 100-year-old Union Station poses a safety issue for commuters because they have to cross active freight-rail tracks to board trains. The new transportation center will separate passengers from freight-rail traffic by relocating the platform and waiting areas. The project also includes building pedestrian tunnels to link to bus and other ground transportation. Union Station will be preserved and incorporated into the design of the new station campus.

The $42 million project is scheduled to be complete by 2015. The project is being funded through a $32 million Illinois Jobs Now! grant, $7.5 million from the city of Joliet and $2.2 million from BNSF Railway Co.