Sorensen Announces $375,031 to Support Modern Rail Infrastructure in Rockford
ROCKFORD, IL – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced $375,031 in funding to study rail infrastructure and development in Rockford. The funding, for the Region 1 Planning Council, is part of the Department of Transportation (DoT)’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, a program that works to reconnect communities that were divided due to railroad and highway construction.
"Transportation decisions made decades ago have severely impacted communities across Illinois, limiting access to opportunity for residents and preventing development that would strengthen local economies and create sustainable jobs," said Sorensen. "I welcome this forward-thinking funding opportunity that's going to reconnect Illinoisans, and I applaud the Region 1 Planning Council for working to create stronger communities in our region."
“The City of Rockford, and our region, benefit from a number of Class I railroads which serve our industry,” said Michael Dunn Jr., Executive Director for Region 1 Planning Council. “Unfortunately, there are a number of rail assets that sit unused, criss-crossing our neighborhoods and downtown Rockford. Too often, this old infrastructure increases blight, creates inefficiencies for our transportation systems and stymies neighborhood revitalization. We are very appreciative of Congressman Sorensen and USDOT for this award and look forward to working with them to explore better infrastructure for our city.”
The award will be used to study the feasibility of removing, repurposing, and modernizing rail infrastructure for passenger and freight purposes, with an emphasis on the southwest Rockford rail yard. The study will also identify transit-oriented development opportunities related to a new downtown Rockford passenger rail station along the existing Canadian National tracks. Overall, the project will develop a plan aimed at improving mobility for residents of the study area and the Rockford Region.
The existing rail lines prohibit extension of the downtown street grid, which not only impacts economic and housing development, but also prevents residential communities from having a direct connection to downtown Rockford.
The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program is awarding $185 million to 45 different projects around the country, with 39 of those projects coming in the form of Planning Grants to explore the possibility of future construction.
Congressman Eric Sorensen is the first openly LGBTQ person elected to represent Illinois at the federal level and is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.
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