Amtrak has final federal approval for train speeds of 110 miles per hour between Joliet and Alton, culminating almost ten years of planning and investing.
Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have received federal approval for maximum speeds up to 110 mph for most of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, primarily between the Amtrak stations in Joliet and Alton, according to an Amtrak press release published on May 3. The new top speeds of trains on Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains would finally achieve a goal first identified on Planetizen in 2014.
“Until now, 90 mph has been the maximum authorized speed on the tracks owned by Union Pacific Railroad. Amtrak operates Lincoln Service and other trains under a contract with IDOT,” according to the press release.
Additional news coverage of the new top speeds on the route is available in an article by Joey Schneider for Fox 2 Now.
“Amtrak is hopeful the change will reduce times for its Lincoln Service round-trips, which also stop in Quincy and Carbondale, and the Texas Eagle, which runs from Chicago to Dallas with a St. Louis stop,” explains Schneider.
More reading from frequently delayed development of high-speed rail on the Chicago-St. Louis Corridor can be found in the Planetizen archive:
- $102 Million Brings Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail a Step Closer (September 2014)
- Faster Chicago to St. Louis Trains Likely to Increase Car Traffic (July 2016)
- Chicago to St. Louis Amtrak Still Not Up to Speed (January 2019)
- Higher Speeds from St. Louis to Chicago Delayed Again for Amtrak (September 2019)
- Amtrak Hits New Top Speeds Between St. Louis and Chicago (December 2021)
FULL STORY: 110 mph Schedules Coming for Amtrak Chicago-St. Louis Corridor
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.