Federal, state, and local officials broke ground on the new Alton Regional Multi-Modal Transportation Center along Homer Adams Parkway. Representatives from the local business community, labor organizations, and community groups witnessed the celebration. Speaking about the new 9,000 square foot Alton Regional Multi-Modal Transportation Center, Alton Mayor Brant Walker stated, “This new facility will be … Continued
IL Governor Rauner has announced a 40% reduction in Amtrak funding to begin July 1 which will have a drastic impact on service between St. Louis and Chicago and beyond. At least half of Illinois-funded downstate trains will be discontinued if implemented. Illinois contracts with Amtrak to operate eight daily round-trip linking Chicago and three … Continued
St. Louis Union Station will come back to life on May 10th, 2014. Celebrating National Train Day in conjunction with the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (“TRRA”), Union Station will host an event that marks several milestones for the city in 2014, including St. Louis’ 250th birthday, the 125th anniversary of the founding of … Continued
The Illinois Department of Transportation is holding public meetings next week regarding the next step on the Chicago – St. Louis Corridor. IDOT is currently reconstructing the tracks between Joliet and Granite City to increase cruising speeds from 80 to 110 mph. That work is already paying dividends with much improved service. Now, they are … Continued
CMT recently conducted a survey of St. Louis residents to determine the top priority for transit for the region. Light rail took home a winner. Forty-five percent of the respondents indicated the number one transit priority for St. Louis should be the Northside/Southside MetroLink extension. The transit options were taken from East-West Gateway’s list of … Continued
While Transportation Day 2014 was postponed for tomorrow, Feb. 4 due to weather- there is still an opportunity to weigh in on public transit in Missouri as the discussions begin on HJR 68/SJR 48 – the proposed one-cent sales and use tax for transportation in Missouri. While the weather may keep you home tomorrow, consider … Continued
The Missouri Public Transit Association released a case statement on the importance in investing in public transit in MO. A link to the statement is below. For every one dollar invested in public transportation, there is a four dollar return on investment in economic activity. Public transit also improves mobility, increases economic growth, decreases unemployment, improves … Continued
The opening of the Osage Railroad Bridge, just east of Jefferson City, will provide huge time savings for freight and passenger rail trips between Kansas City and St. Louis. The new 1,200 foot railroad bridge provides 2 main line tracks across the river. The former single-track bridge over the Osage river created service bottlenecks and … Continued
With Amtrak breaking ridership records 10 times out of the last 11 years, Amtrak extends a special thanks to its riders by discounting companion fares 31%. The 31% discount reflects the 31.6 million passengers that rode the the rail network in Fiscal Year 2013. Amtrak will also feature different #AmtrakStories portraits and passenger stories on … Continued
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad are performing the last of three phases of 2013 upgrades to Illinois’ signature high-speed route, Chicago-St. Louis, for future 110 mph operation of Amtrak Lincoln Service trains. The construction work includes the installation of new premium rail with concrete ties and stone ballast; upgrades to bridges, … Continued
Today, the House of Representatives Transportation Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee is considering a bill that will slash Amtrak’s budget by a third in 2014–putting Amtrak’s future very much in jeopardy. To make matters worse, the bill, if passed, doesn’t include even a dollar for the High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program. Click here … Continued
National Train Day will be on Saturday, May 11 this year, with events planned across the country in celebration. This year’s theme is “Trains matter” and will focus on the importance of trains to transportation, economic development, and employment. In Missouri, there are events planned in Kansas City, Pacific, Independence, Kirkwood, Valley Park, La Plata, … Continued
According to the Missouri Rail Passenger Advisory Committee’s (MORPAC) third quarter report released yesterday, Amtrak has big plans for rail service improvements and extensions across the Unites States. Michigan – Amtrak is working with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to make upgrades to track on routes from Kalamazoo to Central and Eastern Michigan, which … Continued
On Saturday, April 20, the City of Kirkwood will host its 7th Annual Rail Safety Day at the Kirkwood Train Station (110 W. Argonne). There will be an open house at the station from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, with a variety of activities scheduled throughout the day. The event is sponsored by the Kirkwood … Continued
March was another record-breaking month for Amtrak, with 2.8 million riders, representing a 1.9% increase over ridership from March 2012. Last month set the record for highest ridership in the history of Amtrak. Overall, 26 of Amtrak’s 46 routes have experienced ridership increases in the last 6 months and Amtrak is hoping that fiscal year … Continued