Community Leaders Rally For Chicago To Quad Cities Rail

It has been discussed for years.  Hopping on a train and zipping over to Chicago without dealing with traffic.

The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Committee, in collaboration with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, wants Quad Citizens to make their voices heard to push through the funding to make the rail a reality.

The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Committee

The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Committee has been a strong advocate for including the Chicago - Quad Cities rail connection in any statewide transit funding package. Their efforts aim to ensure that the final deal delivers broad, statewide benefits and transformational investment.

Local legislators, including Senator Mike Halpin and Representative Gregg Johnson, have played key roles in championing the Quad Cities rail project within the legislature. Earlier this year, with the help of Senator Halpin, the Senate passed a transit reform package that included funding for the rail project. It now sits in the House of Representatives, where members have different ideas on how to fund transit. The outcome of rail this fall will depend in part on the general assembly’s ability to come to a consensus on transit funding.

Now Is The Time To Push For Passenger Rail In The Quad Cities

Now, if we could get a bullet train, that would be really cool.  Unless it was like the movie Bullet Train, that would not be cool.  Great movie...bad outcome for many people on the train.

With only three days remaining for legislative action, a comprehensive transit package, which potentially includes major capital investments across Illinois, is under active debate.

“Quad Citizens have a unique opportunity to make their voices heard and help bring this decades-long project to fruition,” said Peter Tokar III, President & CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber and Grow Quad Cities. “If the legislature follows through and funds the Chicago - Quad Cities rail connection, we can expect hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact and the creation of more than 800 jobs.”

“We urge Quad Citizens to contact their Illinois legislators and encourage them to include funding for passenger rail between Chicago and the Quad Cities in a transit bill,” said Tokar.

Here's How To Contact Legislators

Would a Back To The Future III train be better than no train?  Probably...if Doc can get it up to 88 mph.

The easiest way to contact legislators is here. You can also access the campaign by texting “PassRail” to 877.806.1507.

“We have never been closer to securing funding for the construction of the Chicago-to-Quad Cities Passenger Rail project. We are now at an all-hands-on-deck moment; it's time for the big push. If Quad Citizens want to see this project happen, now is the time for them to let Illinois legislators know that they need to join Senator Mike Halpin and Representative Gregg Johnson and support the Transit Bill with the Chicago-to-Quad Cities Passenger Rail included,” said Richard ‘Quijas’ Brunk, Chair of the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Committee and Rock Island County Board Chair.