SR0769 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0769 LRB093 24085 DRH 54248 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois has a competitive advantage over other states with our extensive network of railroads that are the envy of other states; and

WHEREAS, Our passenger train service is not up to par with other states and a faint echo of the passenger train service enjoyed by other Western nations; and

WHEREAS, The City of Chicago is a rail hub of the nation, with dozens of different lines converging in downtown Chicago, creating economic opportunities but also massive gridlock that affects freight and passenger train service all over the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency) Program is a proposed $1.5-billion modernization of the freight and passenger rail infrastructure serving Chicago and northeast Illinois that will improve passenger rail service, reduce freight rail and highway congestion, eliminate numerous conflicts between rail and road traffic, reduce motorist delays, and enhance safety; and

WHEREAS, The plan calls for creation of five rail corridors through the city, including one primarily for passenger trains, improvements at 33 grade crossings in the Chicago region, and the opening of a key corridor in downtown Chicago for commercial development; and

WHEREAS, The private railroad companies are contributing a significant amount of funds to the project, along with the City of Chicago and the federal government; and

WHEREAS, The federal government's share of the program has not been appropriated or authorized; and

WHEREAS, The State's $200 million investment in upgrading the track between Chicago and St. Louis relies on the CREATE Program to improve service from Joliet to Chicago; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, That we call on the Congress and the President to work to secure full funding for the CREATE Program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on the Congress and the President to work to secure federal funding to complete the necessary infrastructure work on the Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis corridor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on Governor Blagojevich to include sufficient funding in the State's 2006 budget to increase service on the Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis corridor from three daily departures to five daily departures; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, each member of the Illinois congressional delegation, and the Governor.