SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Safety improvements to Springfield’s downtown rail corridor mean faster train speeds and less waiting in traffic.
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Monday that train speeds will begin increasing Tuesday.
The affected Union Pacific Railroad’s Third Street corridor runs through the middle of downtown Springfield and a block east of the Illinois state Capitol.
The current speed is 25 mph. Transportation officials say the limit will increase 5 mph each week until it reaches 40 mph.
Safety improvements making faster speeds possible include more fencing, new gates and signal upgrades. Many street-level crossings were closed.
The work is part of a larger project to improve the Chicago-to-St. Louis rail route.
