Metra is coming to Rockford: Governor announces rail deal

Passenger rail service would return to Rockford by late 2027 under an agreement with Metra and Union Pacific announced on Thursday by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

There will be stops in Belvidere, Huntley and Elgin, making a trip from Rockford to Chicago take about 95 minutes. Metra officials expect to operate two trips from Rockford to Chicago seven days a week with trains expected to travel about 79 mph at top speed.

With a Metra train parked overhead on the railroad bridge over the Rock River at Davis Park in downtown Rockford, Pritzker said during a news conference Thursday morning that restoring passenger rail to the city for the first time since 1981 will make Rockford "more attractive as a home to families and businesses."

"The new intercity Rockford passenger rail service will have a positive economic impact that will strengthen northern Illinois for years to come," Prtizker said.

About $275 million in Rebuild Illinois capital improvement funds have been set aside for the extensive improvements to Union Pacific-owned tracks that will be needed to convert the freight tracks to use by passenger trains.

Funding will be used to construct stations in Belvidere and Rockford, improve tracks, signalization and road and river crossings to prepare the Union Pacific tracks between Rockford and Elgin for passenger rail. Metra already owns the tracks and operates passenger rail service between Elgin and Chicago.

More: Could Rockford be the next Illinois city to make big train news?

State Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Loves Park, who has long championed the return of passenger rail service to Rockford, said he was often a "pest" in the governor's office urging forward momentum on rail restoration.

"Transportation infrastructure should not be a partisan issue," Stadelman said. "Democrats and Republicans know it generates economic development and that’s what Metra coming to Rockford will bring to the Rockford area. Train service to Chicago will make the Rockford region a more attractive place to live and work.

Metra was chosen for the service over Amtrak which tends to focus on long-distance trips. Officials said that Metra has advantages over Amtrak including its ownership of the Milwaukee District West railroad line betwen Chicago and Elgin.

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said the announcement of Metra as the passenger rail service provider was "critically important milestone."

"There is transformation happening everywhere in Rockford right now and its happening in front of our eyes," McNamara said. "Passenger rail service will certainly make sure this transformation, specifically in southwest Rockford, but in all of Rockford is on the fast track."

Jeff Kolkey can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Metra chosen to restore passenger rail to Rockford