Infrastructure Newsletter

Andrew Cunningham l Executive Director, Infrastructure Council l 217-520-2345

December 8, 2023

The Infrastructure Council is an initiative of the

Illinois Chamber that brings together Chamber members with a focus on increasing

infrastructure investments in a strategic and thoughtful way to boost the overall business climate in Illinois. Our focus is on the public and private systems that are essential to Illinois businesses.

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Illinois Chamber Legislative Initiatives

As we approach the end of the year, the Illinois Chamber is finalizing its legislative strategy for the Spring of 2024. If you have any legislative ideas or proposals that you would like the Chamber to consider supporting or drafting please don't hesitate to reach out.

You can email me at acunningham@ilchamber.org or give me a call at (217) 520-2345.

TRIP: Value of Freight Shipped in Illinois Among Highest in U.S. with Rate of Illinois Large Truck Travel Among Highest in Nation.

TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, released a report earlier this week on the nation's freight delivery system. The report examines state and national freight transportation trends as well as a number of factors impacting the future of freight transportation. The Report notes that across all modes Illinois ranks third in the nation for the value of freight shipped at $1.6 trillion and third in the nation for weight at 1.3 billion tons.

The report also discusses truck safety, truck parking, and the impact of congestion on freight delivery and makes some recommendations as well.

For the Illinois release, I gave the following quote. "This report from TRIP is another testament to the incredible value of Illinois’ vast transportation network and the work of our transportation industry across all modes. The movement of $1.6 trillion of freight through our state isn’t possible without the tireless effort of those in the air, maritime, rail, and trucking industries. We are confident that with responsible public policy and continued investment, industry can tackle any challenge of the future.”

View the Illinois release here. View the full report here.

Release: Illinois awarded more than $95 million to improve passenger rail throughout the state

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that Illinois has received $95.1 million from the Federal Railroad Administration to invest in passenger rail, highlighted by almost $94 million to improve and modernize Chicago’s Union Station.

Amtrak and IDOT have been awarded two grants totaling $93.6 million under a federal-state partnership to deliver key components of the Chicago Hub Improvement Program, a portfolio of projects that will improve rail service and operations in Chicago and throughout the Midwest. In addition to making Union Station more accessible to riders with disabilities, the grants will renovate the building’s outdated ventilation system as well as repurpose, renovate and expand station platforms to increase capacity for the nearly 120,000 riders that use Amtrak and Metra trains daily.

Also, under the FRA’s new Corridor Identification and Development Program, IDOT was awarded $1.5 million in planning funds for three state-supported rail corridors: Chicago to Carbondale, Chicago to St. Louis and Chicago to Quad Cities. The grants will support efforts to develop a scope, schedule and cost estimate for enhancing and expanding service, making each route eligible for future federal funding opportunities for construction and implementation. The city of Peoria also received a $500,000 grant from the program for proposed passenger service to Chicago.

IAAP Holds Annual Convention

This week, the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP) held its 2023 annual convention and aggregate miner safety conference in Springfield. It was a pleasure to once again be in attendance for the afternoon policy seminar and hear informative presentations from several organizations, including the Illinois Tollway, IDOT, and the University of Illinois.

Thank you to Dan Eichholz and the IAAP for the invitation and for the advocacy and resources they provide for the industry in our state.

Legislative Action of Note:

HB 4255, Tow Truck Lights was filed. This bill amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the use of red, blue, and white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights on tow trucks.

State Rulemaking

There was no adopted or proposed rulemaking of note for this Council in the December 8th edition of the Illinois Register.