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The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has agreed to fund a study of a proposed increase of Metra service on the Heritage Corridor, said U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) in a prepared statement.

Lipinski has advocated for expanding commuter service on the corridor, which currently offers three weekday round trips between Joliet and Union Station in Chicago, with stops in Summit, Willow Springs, Lemont and Lockport, Ill.

"There is tremendous demand along the line for more service, and this [capacity study] is a big step in the right direction," Lipinski said. "It shows that the effort to expand Metra and Amtrak service on the Heritage Corridor has real momentum."

The study also will help Illinois more quickly advance proposed upgrades for high-speed and conventional rail services, IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig said.