First on Chicago's Wish List from the Trump Administration: $1 Billion for Union Station

The Emanuel Administration has yet to secure needed funding for a big project to update Chicago's Union Station. Now it's up to the Trump Administration to supply a needed loan.

1 minute read

January 14, 2017, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Union Station Chicago

Nagel Photography / Shutterstock

Greg Hinz reports: "Mayor Rahm Emanuel is getting ready for his first big ask from President-elect Donald Trump: a low-interest federal loan of up to $1 billion to modernize and expand Chicago's Union Station."

According to Hinz, Mayor Emanuel has been working hard to advocate for the project in Washington, D.C. The effort has also enlisted members of Congress from the state of Illinois, including Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and former Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., who "pushed legislation to ensure that the project would qualify for a Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan."

So far, however, the "President Barack Obama's Department of Transportation agreed only to sign an Emerging Projects Agreement under which 'Chicago can closely work with USDOT with the ultimate goal of seeking' the grant," reports Hinz.

If the term "Emerging Projects Agreement" (EmPA) seems unfamiliar, that's because it's only ever been granted one other project—the PATH tunnel project connecting New Jersey and New York under the Hudson River.

Thursday, January 12, 2017 in Crain's Chicago Business

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

2 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

3 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

4 hours ago - Bloomberg