LaHood: ‘enormous’ interest in Peoria–Chicago passenger rail

Central IL25News · Oct 2–3, 2026

LaHood: ‘enormous’ interest in Peoria–Chicago passenger rail

Former Transportation secretary says Step 2 planning may be next after survey support.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told 25News that interest in Peoria Passenger Rail remains strong, with surveys of residents and Bradley students favoring affordable service to Chicago.

Peoria won $500,000 in 2023 for early work and has sought more than $3 million for the next planning phase — stops, facilities, and a service partner such as Amtrak or Metra.

Source: 25News

Paraphrased for the Oct 3, 2026 digest. Read the original at the source link. Not affiliated with the newsroom.