HJ0139 LRB095 21701 AJO 51911 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Decatur, the county seat and largest city in Macon
3 County, is a metropolitan area with a population of 109,309;
4 and
 
5     WHEREAS, The federally operated passenger train service,
6 Amtrak, does not offer service to Decatur or Macon County at
7 this time; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The nation is seeing the highest gas prices in
9 history, with a national average price of over $4 a gallon,
10 prompting leaders to suggest driving less and using less motor
11 fuel; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Using train and bus services could greatly reduce
13 the amount of money Illinois citizens spend on motor fuel and
14 would lessen Illinois citizens' and the nation's dependency on
15 foreign oil; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Having Amtrak services in Decatur would not only
17 allow its citizens another means of transportation and would
18 save them money, but the services would help stimulate the
19 economy allowing easier and more affordable access into the
20 area; therefore, be it
 

 

 

HJ0139 - 2 - LRB095 21701 AJO 51911 r

1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
3 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Department of
4 Transportation is requested to study the feasibility of
5 bringing passenger rail services to Decatur, Illinois; and be
6 it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That if passenger train service to Decatur is not
8 fully practical at this time, Amtrak ought to contract with a
9 provider of bus transportation services to provide connecting
10 transportation service to and from Decatur to a point that
11 offers passenger train service; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
13 delivered to the U.S. Transportation Secretary, the Secretary
14 of Transportation, the President of Amtrak, and each member of
15 the Illinois congressional delegation.