Ask Governor Pritzker to make trains to Rockford and the Quad Cities a reality. Please ask Governor Pritzker to make trains to Rockford and the Quad Cities a reality. The return of service to these routes has been promised for more than a decade. The funding is there,...
Fast, frequent, and affordable trains improve our communities—big and small—in three critical ways.
They Create Smart and Sustainable Growth
High-speed trains promote density by transforming land-development patterns.
Federal policies prioritize road building, which encourages more driving and spurs ever-more spending on road construction and repairs. This cycle generates sprawl and hollows out city centers. Trains break the cycle and create healthy, walkable and thriving city centers.
They Multiply Opportunities in Small and Mid-Sized Communities
Long drives are a normal part of daily life in rural areas—for work, shopping, and the trips to the nearest city.
Trains make life better by making many trips easier and more affordable. They can connect workers to jobs; make family outings fun; and establish links to markets and customers for businesses of all sizes.
Amtrak’s inter-regional trains are currently the foundation of the rural network. Upgrading them with high-performance trains will be game-changing.
They Improve Local Transit Options
High-speed trains boost and build on existing bus and rail systems.
Travelers use local transit to reach high-speed trains, for starters. And when they are well-coordinated and easily accessible, ridership increases on both high-speed rail and local transit systems. That builds political will and funding for the entire transportation network.
