Chicago flyover splits passenger, freight rail

Chicago flyover splits passenger, freight rail    The U.S. Transportation Department on Friday said its Illinois state counterpart can start spending $126 million for Chicago's so-called Englewood Flyover project that was awarded last year.
   The project, which will get under way later this summer, will eliminate one of the nation's largest rail bottlenecks, DOT said. The Illinois Department of Transportation contributed $6.6 million to the $133 million project.
   The Englewood Flyover is a grade separation project south of Chicago Union Station that eliminates one of the most delay-prone intersections in the entire Amtrak system. It separates Rock Island District Metra commuter trains from Amtrak passenger trains traveling on the Norfolk Southern corridor.
   'Untying rail congestion in Chicago is critical to developing a Midwest passenger rail network that will connect the 40 largest markets in the Midwest,' said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, in a statement.

LaHood

   DOT noted that an agreement between Illinois, Norfolk Southern and Amtrak also lays the groundwork for an additional express track for high-speed trains to points east and south. Amtrak uses the Norfolk Southern line for all trains from Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis into Chicago. The State of Illinois will serve as the hub of the Midwest passenger rail network, DOT said.
   The Englewood Flyover project is part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, a partnership between Illinois, Chicago, freight railroads, Metra and Amtrak, to remove and reduce train congestion throughout Chicago and the Midwest region.
   'This congestion impacts all modes of transportation, forcing more trucks onto the highways, limiting access to airports, and reducing the capacity of railroads, limiting the regions effectiveness as the nation's transportation hub,' DOT said. In addition to the intercity passenger benefits, the Englewood Flyover will also reduce freight and commuter delays, keeping more people and freight off Chicago's congested highways.
   The DOT also sees the project as a business opportunity for Illinois rail equipment suppliers.
   'Illinois has more railway suppliers than any other state in the country, and does more than $4.5 billion in sales each year,' said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo.
   To date, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and annual appropriations have provided $10.1 billion to transportation infrastructure projects. Of that, nearly $6 billion has already been obligated for rail projects. The Englewood Flyover's $126 million obligation was funded through the Recovery Act.