Illinois leaders recently approved a $1.5 billion funding package to keep public transit afloat statewide—and the approved plan could include a new rail connection between Chicago and the Quad cities.
Chicago to Quad Cities by train
Officials are reportedly considering allocating $450 million dollars of the spending package towards restoring a passenger rail line between Chicago and Moline, IL, according to NBC.
Operators decommissioned the line in 1978, leaving a major service gap between the metropolitan hubs.
Trains would run from Chicago to a newly erected transit station in downtown Moline. Quad cities officials have expressed excitement over the potential tourism traffic the connection could generate.
Ultimately, the plan will require navigating a number of legislative and logistical hurdles, so it likely won’t move forward for a few years.