$25.4M in federal funding announced to expand Peoria, Rock Island mass transit

Illinois politicians announced on Tuesday a multi-million-dollar investment into mass transit that could change the way some riders get around their communities.

According to a press release from the office of Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-17), U.S. Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Sorensen announced the allocation of more than $25 million in federal funding to help riders who use the Greater Peoria and Rock Island County Metropolitan mass transit districts.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will allocate about $14 million to CityLink in Peoria and $10 million to MetroLINK in Rock Island, according to the press release.

“These awards will support more sustainable and reliable transportation in Illinois,” Durbin said in the press release. “With this funding, Rock Island and Peoria counties and the surrounding areas will see improved equipment and an expansion of battery-electric buses, making public transportation cleaner for our state’s communities. I’m pleased to see this major investment in Illinois’ infrastructure.” 

The money will help MetroLINK expand its operations and maintenance center to grow capacity and continue its battery-electric bus initiative. The transit system will also use the money to replace diesel-engine vehicles with more battery-electric buses.

“Increasing the number of zero-emission and low-emission busses protects the health of our communities and our state,” Duckworth said in the press release. “I’m proud to see this funding help support a cleaner, safer future for Illinoisans and the next generation throughout the Quad Cities and Peoria. I will continue working alongside Durbin and Sorensen to ensure our communities receive the much-needed federal resources they deserve.” 

This initiative aims to reduce emissions, increase safety and provide travel reliability among the underserved communities in Peoria and surrounding regions.

“My neighbors deserve access to safe and affordable public transit options that keep our air clean. The new fleet of electric buses that will be coming to Rock Island and Peoria will help us reduce our carbon footprint and create more sustainable communities for future generations,” Sorensen said in the press release. “I’m proud to see millions of our tax dollars coming back home to make our communities a better place to live, work, and start and family.”