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Amtrak's Proposed Quad Cities to Chicago Routes Discussed at Public Hearing
The Illinois Department of Transportation is seeking comments on the environmental assessment of proposed Amtrak routes from Iowa City and the Quad Cities to Chicago.

A public hearing starts at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Moline at the i wireless center, Room D, 1201 River Drive. The hearing will run until 7 p.m.

Two alternatives are under consideration. Both use the same tracks, owned by the Iowa Interstate Railroad, from Iowa City and the Quad Cities to Wyanet. One would then go through LaSalle, Morris and Joliet to Chicago ; the other would go via Princeton and Naperville. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says the latter is preferred, due to the distance and the condition of the tracks themselves.

The alternatives are being evaluated for their human, natural and economic impact, a prerequisite to applying for stimulus funding.

The service, if and when it is running, will establish new stations in Iowa City, the Quad Cities and Geneseo. If the Naperville route is chosen, it would serve existing stations Princeton, Mendota, Plano and LaGrange. If the Joliet route is chosen, new stations would be built in Morris and LaSalle.

Amtrak conducted a study in 2007 to determine that service between Iowa City and Chicago, with two trains a day in each direction, is feasible.

Service is at least two construction seasons away from the time that work begins on building stations and building a connection in Wyanet between the two railroads, which now cross over one another.

(Illinois Radio Network)
09 28 09 by Newsroom
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