# High speed rail study bill in Illinois



## Steve4031 (Mar 2, 2015)

This is from an email that I got from the Midwest high speed rail organization.

Last week Senate Majority Leader Clayborne, D-Belleville, and Representative Ammons, D-Champaign, introduced identical bills in their respective chambers seeking $15 million for a Tier I EIS for a Chicago-East St. Louis/Indianapolis high-speed line. I briefly mentioned the bill in the previous newsletter, but I think it’s worth describing in greater detail.

"MHSRA has been organizing supporters to advocate for this service over the past few years. The Tier I EIS is a critical piece of planning work that is needed to design a route, demonstrate a project’s viability and attract federal or private funding. Finding funding for a Tier I EIS for a 220mph demonstration project is the single most important next step in promoting high-speed rail in the region. It is also the logical next step after IDOT released a feasibility study for the corridor in 2013.

The proposed route would connect O’Hare Airport, Chicago Union Station, McCormick Place, Champaign, Decatur, Springfield and East St. Louis. It would also feature a branch to Indianapolis from Champaign. "


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## Bus Nut (Mar 27, 2015)

Boy, that would be nice.

Indy has a very shiny new airport but it stinks that it's so poorly connected by rail.

I even looked at bus from IL and IN and was sorely disappointed!


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