Quinn for Illinois

By Mary Ann Ford

NORMAL — Gov. Pat Quinn likened President Barack Obama’s infusion of $8 billion into the high-speed rail system to the visions of presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Abraham Lincoln, who promoted national transportation systems for economic growth.

“It’s just the beginning, just like the Interstate system,” Quinn said at a news conference Friday at the Normal Amtrak station.

Quinn said when Eisenhower suggested improving U.S. highway system in the 1950s, there were those who said it was unnecessary spending.

“But fortunately, President Eisenhower and Congress said, ‘Oh no, we need good transportation for the economy, jobs and national defense,’” Quinn said.

Lincoln had a similar vision for transcontinental railroads, he said, and knew the country needed to spend money to do it.

“Transportation is a key part of a strong economy,” Quinn said. “We want to make sure people can get to Illinois State University, McLean County … real fast. Today is a good day for Illinois; a good day for jobs.”

Sen. Dick Durbin, who also was among a host of officials at the event, said the Bloomington-Normal community “understands the great importance of Amtrak to the community” and its several college campuses.

Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, said the $8 billion for high-speed rail was a personal request from Obama. Illinois, Obama’s home state, received about $1.2 billion.

The senator said that if more people use the trains because they are more reliable and offer more options, traffic congestion and pollution will be reduced. That happened when gasoline prices skyrocketed, prompting people to flock to train travel, he said.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, a Crete Democrat, credited officials who attended the news conference — which included Normal City Council members, Normal Mayor Chris Koos, Bloomington Mayor Steve Stockton and mayors from Dwight, Lexington and Pontiac and other communities — with getting money for Illinois.

“It only happened because everybody in this room came together in September,” she said. “Everybody was on board to have the best application we could.”

Tom Carper, chairman of Amtrak’s board of directors and west-central region manager for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, said the award culminates an effort that started more than 15 years ago when some began looking for ways to build the rail system.

Now, he said, Obama is making high-speed rail “a building block for the future of the country.”

Koos said the $1.2 billion will start with jobs but lead to economic development, “vitality and growth.”

“Ten years from now, people are going to be overwhelmed at how much economic development has been done here,” he said.

One project Normal officials hope will happen in the near future is an uptown transportation center to replace the small Amtrak station. Normal has applied for $20 million from the highly competitive federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant for the station.

“It’s a long shot,” said Durbin noting only $1.5 billion is available and there are $60 billion in requests. But, he added, “I’m not giving up.”