Rail operator Union Pacific has announced it is to invest $85 million in Illinois’ rail infrastructure.
The news follows similar statements for other midwestern states in the past two months as part of Union Pacific’s wider $3.1 billion programme to improve safety and efficiency
The latest commitment will see $70 million spent to maintain railroad track – including $6 million investment in the rail line between Elburn and Fulton and $7 million investment in the rail line between East St. Louis and Chester – and $10 million to maintain bridges in the state.
Union Pacific vice president Donna Kush said: “Union Pacific’s targeted investments fund projects that strengthen our railroad tracks, increase safety and minimise delays as trains travel through communities across Illinois.
“Maintaining a healthy railroad is the foundation of our ability to serve customers and communities across the state.”
From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $566 million strengthening Illinois’s transportation infrastructure.