Some good news to be announced today: US Deptartment of Transportation is planning to announce tomorrow a new investment of $100 million toward Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Project or CREATE. The effort involves 47 railway improvements such as grade separations to move freight more quickly through the Chicago gridlock. Why is this important? One of the reasons that rail systems bog down in the region is the shared rail infrastructure by both commuting trains and freight. It takes three days for trains to get to Chicago from the West Coast but three additional days for them to get through Chicago. Freeing up both freight and commuter trains will help make them more efficient, more convenient and more competitive with the trucking business. It also enables the high speed rail system to work.
The bad news is that the funding could have also been used for some really exciting opportunities to stimulate additional transit such as light rail systems, Bus Rapid Transit, or bicycle sharing. Perhaps this award will help the region move toward those funding coversations next.
Read more at: www.dailyherald.com/story/