Quinn for Illinois

Gov. Pat Quinn, Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) announced plans Friday for a federally funded, $133 million project to build a rail flyover in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood that will “significantly reduce rail congestion” and create nearly 1,500 jobs in Illinois.

The project is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program, and is part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program.

The rail flyover will carry the North-South Metra Rock Island line over the East-West Norfolk Southern Amtrak line. A bridge with triple the amount of tracks will be constructed to carry Metra operations over the four tracks of the North-South line and a possible fifth track for a “high speed intercity passenger rail connection to points east and/or south.”

The rail project will eliminate the conflicts between 78 Metra Rock Island trains and approximately 60 freight and Amtrak trains that cross daily when it’s completed. It also is set to establish high-speed rail lines between Chicago and Detroit.