SB3085 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 16428 LNS 29819 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3085

Introduced 1/29/2026, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Passenger Rail Planning Act. Sets forth intercity passenger rail routes serving or originating in the State. Requires the Department of Transportation to incorporate the aspirational frequencies into the Illinois State Rail Plan and the Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan. Authorizes the Department to nominate corridors for inclusion in the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program and enter into memoranda of understanding or other cooperative agreements for each identified interstate corridor to provide for shared data, joint investment prioritization, and aligned performance measures and planning schedules. Requires the Department to include a recurring section titled Progress Toward High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail within each update to the Illinois State Rail Plan and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Requires each Metropolitan Planning Organization in the State to: (1) recognize the target intercity and long-distance passenger rail frequencies; (2) identify relevant rail corridors within or adjacent to the Metropolitan Planning Organization planning area; and (3) include a narrative discussion of how regional transportation investments can support achievement of those frequency targets. Requires the Department and each Metropolitan Planning Organization to consider progress toward the target passenger rail frequencies when developing project prioritization criteria for multimodal investments. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Passenger Rail Planning Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Illinois is the historic and operational hub of the nation's passenger rail network, serving as the national terminal for multiple passenger rail routes providing vital interstate and regional connections.

(2) The Federal Railroad Administration's Midwest Regional Rail Plan (2021) identifies Illinois as the center of a high-frequency intercity rail system connecting major Midwestern cities and states. The Plan identifies service levels on 4 routes radiating from Chicago with 16 hourly to 25 hourly, plus half-hourly peaks, daily departures in each direction per day.

(3) The Midwest Regional Rail Plan also identifies other routes radiating from Chicago without specifying service levels.

(4) Increasing passenger rail service frequencies across all corridors and long-distance routes will strengthen Illinois' economy, reduce congestion, improve sustainability, and enhance access to federal and private investment.

(5) It is, therefore, the policy of the State to define and pursue an integrated high-speed and intercity passenger rail network as part of the Illinois State Rail Plan and to ensure that these criteria are incorporated into all metropolitan, regional, and statewide transportation planning processes in a manner consistent with federal law and planning cycles.

Section 10. Establishment of target rail frequencies.

(a) The following criteria are established for intercity passenger rail routes serving or originating in the State. This outline shall serve as official benchmarks for statewide rail planning, investment prioritization, and coordination with neighboring states, Amtrak, and other railroads.

(b) The following corridors shall be designated as:

(1) Hourly service routes, with trains operating on pulse schedules at least once per hour, in each direction, throughout the day (5 a.m. to 10 p.m.):

(A) Chicago to Milwaukee.

(B) Chicago to Madison to St. Paul.

(C) Chicago to Rockford.

(D) Chicago to East St. Louis to St. Louis to Kansas City.

(E) Chicago to Detroit to Toronto.

(F) Chicago to Cleveland.

(G) Chicago to Fort Wayne to Columbus.

(H) Chicago to Indianapolis to Cincinnati.

(I) Chicago to Indianapolis to Louisville to Nashville to Atlanta.

(J) Chicago to Champaign.

(K) Chicago to the Northeast Corridor (Acela).

(2) Every-2-hour service routes, with trains operating at least once per every 2 hours, in each direction, throughout the day (5 a.m. to 10 p.m.):

(A) Chicago to Moline.

(B) Chicago to Peoria.

(C) Milwaukee to Green Bay (by extension of Chicago to Milwaukee).

(3) Every-4-hour service routes, with trains operating at least once per every 4 hours, in each direction, throughout the day (5 a.m. to 10 p.m.):

(A) Champaign to Carbondale to Memphis (by extension of Chicago to Champaign).

(B) Rockford to East Dubuque (by extension of Chicago to Rockford).

(C) Quad Cities to Des Moines to Omaha to Denver (by extension of Chicago to Moline).

(D) Chicago to Galesburg to Quincy to Hannibal.

(c) The Department of Transportation shall incorporate these aspirational service frequencies into the Illinois State Rail Plan prepared under 49 U.S.C. 22705 and into the Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan required under 23 U.S.C. 135.

(d) For each interstate corridor identified in subsection (b), the Department of Transportation is authorized and encouraged to:

(1) nominate such corridors for inclusion in the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program under 49 U.S.C. 25101; and

(2) enter into memoranda of understanding or other cooperative agreements with neighboring states under 23 U.S.C. 135(b)(1) and 135(c), and consistent with 23 U.S.C. 135(e)(3), to provide for shared data, joint investment prioritization, and aligned performance measures and planning schedules.

(e) The Department of Transportation shall evaluate opportunities to designate and advance one or more of the corridors identified in subsection (b) as components of the National Multimodal Freight Network under 49 U.S.C. 70103, consistent with the national multimodal freight policy under 49 U.S.C. 70101, where such designations would enhance eligibility for federal discretionary or formula funding.

(f) The Department of Transportation shall include a recurring section titled "Progress Toward High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail" within each update of the Illinois State Rail Plan and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. That section shall summarize:

(1) the current level of service frequency in each corridor;

(2) the gap between existing and aspirational service levels;

(3) investments, capital improvements, or service agreements made toward achieving the target frequencies; and

(4) coordination with neighboring states, Amtrak, and federal agencies to advance these targets.

(g) The Department of Transportation shall transmit each updated Progress Toward High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail section to the Governor and the General Assembly concurrently with the Illinois State Rail Plan submission to the Federal Railroad Administration.

(h) The Department of Transportation shall align submissions and project proposals with applicable federal selection preferences in intercity passenger rail and multimodal grant programs, including 49 U.S.C. 24911 (Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail), where consistency with the Corridor Identification and Development Program (49 U.S.C. 25101) is favored.

Section 15. Metropolitan Planning Organization coordination.

(a) Each Metropolitan Planning Organization established under 23 U.S.C. 134 within this State shall, during each federally required update of its metropolitan long-range transportation plan or Transportation Improvement Program:

(1) recognize the target intercity and long-distance passenger rail frequencies established in Section 10;

(2) identify relevant rail corridors within or adjacent to the Metropolitan Planning Organization planning area; and

(3) include a narrative discussion of how regional transportation investments can support achievement of those frequency targets.

(b) The Department of Transportation shall provide technical assistance, data, modeling tools, and mapping resources to Metropolitan Planning Organizations and regional councils to facilitate integration of passenger rail frequencies into multimodal planning. The Department of Transportation may enter into memoranda of understanding with Amtrak, neighboring state departments of transportation, or regional rail authorities to share data and coordinate planning consistent with this Act.

(c) The Department of Transportation shall, at least once every 4 years and consistent with the federal planning update cycle, convene consultations with each Metropolitan Planning Organization to review passenger rail investments, identify opportunities to advance frequency targets, and coordinate applications for federal or multistate funding that support those goals.

Section 20. Investment prioritization. The Department of Transportation and each Metropolitan Planning Organization shall, to the maximum extent practicable, consider progress toward the target passenger rail frequencies established in Section 10 when developing project prioritization criteria for multimodal investments, particularly those affecting rail capacity, terminal access, or multimodal connectivity.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.