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8/10/2021
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed a bill authorizing the formation of the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission.
The commission will be responsible for creating a statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting Chicago and St. Louis. The line will be integrated with existing Amtrak, Metra and intercity bus services, and connect the Illinois cities of Decatur, Moline, Peoria and Rockford.
The commission is tasked with conducting a ridership study and issuing its findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service and implementation of the high-speed rail plan. Commission members must provide yearly reports and be assisted by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The proposed high-speed rail line would start at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and offer a 127-minute ride to reach downtown St. Louis. Trains would stop in Champaign-Urbana in less than an hour and in Springfield in 78 minutes. A trip from Champaign to downtown Indianapolis would take about a half hour.