Happy Fourth of July Weekend! I hope your long weekend is filled with pools, BBQ grills and fireworks, I know mine will be. After Tuesday’s brutal election, we all need a little extra fun.
Session Update
It is widely expected at least one Chamber of the General Assembly will return to Springfield next week. The 6th and 7th have been the rumored dates for some time now. However, nothing has been officially announced as of this writing. Stay tuned.
If lawmakers return, the emphasis will be on a response to the Supreme Court’s repudiation of Roe. No topic is off the table, so as always, we will be paying close attention.
Illinois State Freight Advisory Committee
The Illinois State Freight Advisory Committee met on Thursday afternoon. We heard updates from Deputy Secretary Becky Locker about federal funds implementation. Brad Franke advised that the MYP will be released later this month and will include additional information about mass transit.
Finally, Lisa Destro gave a long term forecast for the Illinois freight system. She said that in 2019 the system was responsible for 1.65 billion tons worth an estimated $2 trillion. Those numbers jump to 3.08 tons at $5 trillion of value by 2032. Truck and rail are responsible for 90% of the freight movement throughout Illinois. Pipeline and marines combine for 9% and rail is 4%.
Grade Crossing Funding Letter to Congress
For the second newsletter in a row, I want to highlight an effort in conjunction with our friends at GORail. The Infrastructure Council sent a letter to the Illinois delegation requesting full funding for the newly established Grade Crossing Elimination Program. The program has the potential to increase safety at grade crossings, increase the mobility of people and goods, improve access for emergency vehicles, and bring economic benefits to communities.
You can read the full letter HERE.
Aviation System Plan
The project team has completed all draft documentation for the Illinois Aviation System Plan (IASP). The last two chapters for your review are detailed below and are available for download from the project website. Please provide feedback by Friday, July 8th and I can pass along to the drafters.
Chapter 8 – Future Aviation Scenarios. This chapter documents anticipated or possible scenarios that could impact Illinois’ aviation system in the future. The scenarios were developed in two parts to identify a possible “what if” scenario as well as a “could we?” solution.
Chapter 10 – System Considerations. This chapter summarizes the results of the analyses that led to the development of project recommendations. It includes future project, policy, and program considerations that aim to improve Illinois aviation in the long-term.
