[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 72 (Friday, April 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19107-19108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9244]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Environmental Impact Statement: Cook Will, Kankakee, Grundy, 
Livingston, McLean, Logan, Sangamon, Macoupin, Jersey, Madison, and St. 
Clair Counties, IL

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) will be prepared for the development of high speed rail (HSR) 
passenger operations between Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, 
Missouri. The proposed project study area will extend from downtown 
Chicago on the north to downtown St. Louis on the south.

FOR FURTHER INFORATION CONTACT:

Mr. Dennis W. Johnson, Environmental Engineer, Federal Highway 
Administration, Illinois Division, 3250 Executive Park Drive, 
Springfield, Illinois 62703, Telephone (217) 492-4625
      or:
Mr. Merrill L. Travis, Chief, Bureau of Railroads, Illinos Department 
of Transportation (DOT), 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, Room 302, 
Springfield, Illinos 62764, Telephone (217) 782-2835
      or:
Mr. Michael E. Stead, High Speed Rail Manager, Illinois Department of 
Transportation (DOT), 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, Room 302, 
Springfield, Illinois 62764, Telephone (217) 785-8498

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is to develop a high 
speed rail passenger operation between Chicago and St. Louis. The 
proposed [[Page 19108]] project study area will extend from downtown 
Chicago on the north to downtown St. Louis on the south.
    Joint lead agencies, FHWA and IDOT, will prepare an EIS on a 
proposal to develop high speed rail passenger service between Chicago, 
Illinos and St. Louis, Missouri. The proposed project involves 
upgrading an existing 282-mile rail corridor to allow the operation of 
high speed passenger trains at speeds up to 125 mph. The proposed 
project also would plan to have high speed passenger trains share the 
existing railroad right-of-way with existing rail freight service in 
the Chicago-St. Louis corridor.
    Alternatives under consideration include no action and three 
alternate routes. The alternate routes include Chicago-St. Louis, via 
Joliet; Chicago-Peotone-St. Louis, via Kankakee; and, Chicago-Peotone-
St. Louis, via Wilmington. The Joliet alternate is the current route 
used by Amtrak for existing intercity passenger rail service. The two 
Peotone route alternates would allow the State of Illinois to provide 
high speed intercity rail passenger service to the proposed South 
Suburban (Third) Airport in south suburban Chicago.
    The Joliet and Peotone-Kankakee route alternatives would utilize 
existing railroad right of way for the entire corridor. The Peotone-
Wilmington alternate would utilize existing railroad right of way, but 
would also include construction of a new railroad alignment between 
Peotone and Wilmington, approximately 20 miles in length.
    The proposed project is intended to increase safety by providing a 
rail facility with improved equipment, an improved track structure, and 
other improved design elements; to provide additional capacity for 
increasing ridership volume; to improve rail passenger operations and 
better serve the transportation needs of communities in the Chicago-St. 
Louis corridor; and to help to support the economic development of the 
region.
    Existing ridership is over 300,000 passengers per year in the 
Chicago-St. Louis corridor. The proposed project is expected to attract 
over 1 million passengers to this corridor. High speed rail would 
afford an alternative to other modes of travel that would be less 
affected by adverse weather, reduce congestion at airports and on 
highways, and meet transportation needs in a time-saving, fuel-
efficient manner. Current Amtrak passenger trains provide 5 hour 30 
minute service between Chicago and St. Louis. The proposed project 
would reduce the overall trip time to 3 hours 30 minutes. In addition, 
the proposed project would increase the trip frequencies between 
Chicago and St. Louis from three daily round trips to eight round trips 
per day.
    The scoping process undertaken as part of this proposed project 
will include distribution of a scoping information packet, coordination 
with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and review 
sessions as needed. A formal scoping meeting is scheduled to be held at 
the IDOT Central Office Auditorium, 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, 
Springfield, Illinois, on Monday, April 24, 1995, beginning at 1 p.m. 
Further details of the proposed project and a scoping information 
packet may be obtained from the IDOT contact persons listed above.
    To ensure that the full range of issues related to the proposed 
project are addressed and all significant issues identified, a 
comprehensive public involvement program will be undertaken. Public 
meetings will be held in the study area prior to the public hearing. 
Public notice will be given of the time and place of the meetings and 
hearing. The Draft EIS will be available for public agency review and 
comment prior to the public hearing. In addition, comments and 
suggestions are invited from all interested parties. Comments or 
questions concerning this proposed action and the EIS should be 
directed to the IDOT contact persons.

    Issued on: April 3, 1995.
Dennis W. Johnson,
Environmental Engineer.
[FR Doc. 95-9244 Filed 4-13-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M