Illinois will soon be going high-speed thanks to an agreement reached last week between Springfield, Sangamon County and Gov. Bruce Rauner that will allow for the completion of a high-speed rail project.
“Today’s agreement is a major step forward for Springfield and it’s one that would not have been possible without the hard work of Gov. Rauner, (Sangamon County) Chairman (Andy) Van Meter, (Springfield) Mayor (James) Langfelder, and the many state and local officials who have worked tirelessly over the years to make this day possible,” U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) said on Friday. “Their leadership and willingness to work together will help advance Illinois’ high speed rail project, and I will continue to do whatever I can to ensure support from the federal government is there to complete this important project.”
In June, Davis sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in support of Springfield’s TIGER grant application.
“The TIGER grant funds will be for Usable Segment II, the project’s next step for double-tracking the Chicago-St. Louis corridor," the letter said. "This project has many benefits, which include increased train ridership, speed, and service reliability, and reducing travel times.”
Davis added his support for federal dollars to help complete these projects, which will spur greater economic development within the Springfield area.
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