HR0374LRB098 12091 GRL 46126 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Transportation
3included in its multi-year plan a potential new rail route that
4would go from Moline/Rock Island to Danville, via Galesburg,
5Peoria, Bloomington/Normal, and Champaign/Urbana; and
 
6    WHEREAS, This east-west corridor further enhances access
7for our students to colleges and universities throughout the
8State of Illinois and increases the number destinations
9available on our passenger rail system, which makes passage
10rail service an even more attractive method of alternative
11transportation; and
 
12    WHEREAS, IDOT has asked Amtrak for a feasibility study to
13analyze the ridership, capital costs, and operating costs of
14this potential new route; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The new route will consist of two round-trips per
16day, with the tightest connectivity to the Chicago-St. Louis
17corridor and connection times to the Carbondale and Quincy
18corridors as well; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The study will also include requirements for
20service facilities at either end of the corridor, along with
21those estimated costs; and
 

 

 

HR0374- 2 -LRB098 12091 GRL 46126 r

1    WHEREAS, Amtrak should also include in its proposal cost a
2study of a very tightly-scheduled express bus service, similar
3to California's tightly-scheduled Thruway service that
4connects the various passenger rail corridors with towns
5throughout that state; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The study should analyze the revenue and costs of
7bus service that would meet Chicago-St. Louis trains each way
8at Normal, with single-ticketing so passengers can buy one
9ticket and check bags only once; the study also should analyze
10the ticket price that would make the bus service
11self-sufficient; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The express bus service would possibly be a
13forerunner to actual train service between the identified
14cities; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Amtrak is expected to begin the study in the
16summer of 2013; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19the Illinois Department of Transportation is supported and
20encouraged to continue its efforts in studying the feasibility
21of passenger rail service between Moline/Rock Island,

 

 

HR0374- 3 -LRB098 12091 GRL 46126 r

1Galesburg, Peoria, Bloomington/Normal, Champaign/Urbana, and
2Danville; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4delivered to the Illinois Department of Transportation.