Letters of interest sought for proposed Alton station on Chicago-St. Louis high-speed rail corridor

The city of Alton, Ill., is soliciting letters of interest and qualifications (LIQ) from design and engineering service providers for a regional multi-modal transportation center that will be located on the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed rail line.

City officials will accept proposals through Sept. 6, according to an Illinois Department of Transportation online notice.

The LIQ process seeks architecture design engineering services required for preliminary engineering and the development of final design, specifications, drawings, plans, bid documents and necessary permits for the multi-modal center's construction.

By 2015's end, up to 75 percent of the 284-mile corridor — between Dwight and Alton — is expected to be ready for 110 mph passenger-rail service. In November 2012, Amtrak Lincoln Service trains began operating up to 110 mph over a 15-mile stretch between Dwight and Pontiac, Ill. In The entire corridor is scheduled to be ready for 110-mph train service by 2017.

To learn more about the high-speed rail corridor, click here to read an article that appears in Progressive Railroading's August issue.