Midwest Regional Rail Initiative

[nomarandlee]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2...rail-pact.html

Chicago, 8 states sign high-speed rail pact
July 27, 2009 12:58 PM | 35 Comments

Eight states and the city of Chicago signed an agreement today aimed at coordinating plans to develop high-speed passenger train corridors across the Midwest.

The memo of understanding focuses on offering a faster and more efficient option for travelers as well as creating thousands of jobs to boost the economy, officials said.
The agreement was signed during a high-speed rail summit held in Chicago.

Participants to the agreement are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Chicago.

"This is a historic day. It's very important that we look to the future," said Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, who hosted the summit along with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mayor Richard Daley.

The Obama administration has allotted $8 billion in start-up funding to help states develop high-speed passenger rail corridors. The agreement today lays the groundwork for Midwestern states to compete for a share of the federal funding.

The top priority of the Midwest high-speed rail program is to build 110-mile-per-hour corridors from Chicago to St. Louis; Detroit/Pontiac; and Milwaukee/Madison, Wis. and up to Minneapolis.

Over the next 20 years, the corridors would be expanded to cover about 3,000 miles over nine states.

-- Jon Hilkevitch

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