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4/10/2014
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn yesterday unveiled a six-year, $8.6 billion construction program aimed at rebuilding roads and bridges, and improving public transportation. The plan includes $1.85 billion for public transportation, including: • $585.1 million for Metra to purchase up to 160 Electric Highliner passenger cars; • $222 million to provide new intercity passenger-rail service between Chicago and Moline, as part of the Chicago-Quad Cities-Iowa City corridor; • $132.6 million for the Englewood Flyover, which is part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency, or CREATE, program; and• $60 million to re-establish passenger-rail service in the Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque corridor, as well as build a new station in South Elgin.The entire program is anticipated to be funded through $6.99 billion in federal funds, $1.16 billion in state dollars, and $450 million from local and other sources. For fiscal-year 2015, which begins July 1, Quinn has allocated $1.85 billion for public transportation and $2.7 million for rail improvements. Meanwhile, the governor has asked the Illinois General Assembly to form a bipartisan working group to establish the next capital bill that will fund transportation improvements once the Illinois Jobs Now! program expires on June 30.