You can provide feedback to IDOT through October 2026.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is working to update the 2023 State Rail Plan, with a final draft expected July 2027.
State rail plans set future goals for freight and passenger rail. They can be essential to setting long-term visions for statewide transportation, and they help projects become eligible for federal funding.
Here’s the problem: Outside California, no other state is implementing the integrated network approach, and the previous Illinois plan did not provide an ambitious-enough growth strategy for driving mode shift from roads to rails.
Send a message to IDOT to advocate for these critical elements to guide the 2027 Illinois State Rail Plan:
- Service-led, integrated network planning
- A long-term vision for hourly intercity rail service
- Progress toward electrification by overhead catenary
There’s just one more critical element to add to your message: Where do you want the train to take you?
