Amtrak announced this week that it has received nearly $100 million in federal grants to fund improvements to Chicago’s Union Station.
The grants, totaling $93.6 million, will go directly to Amtrak to improve rail station service and other amenities, helping to promote rail travel locally and throughout the Midwest.
Amtrak said the money will go toward a series of improvements in conjunction with the Chicago Hub Improvement Project, a broader initiative aimed at modernizing Union Station and paving the way for improved service delivery in the Midwest.
Those projects include:
– Renovation and expansion of platforms within Union Station. These improvements will ultimately increase passenger capacity, improve passenger access, and make the facility compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
-The plan also calls for improved ventilation systems to help divert exhaust air from locomotives out of the boarding area and improve air quality within the station.
-Several platforms at Union Station, originally used by the U.S. Postal Service, will be returned to active service for travelers and customers. According to the agency, these platforms have been out of service since 2005.
Officials say these additional platforms will ultimately be used to expand service offerings on both Amtrak and Metra.
-Funding was also allocated to study potential increases in Cardinal service provision between Chicago and New York City. These trains run three days a week and make stops in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and more.
-Funding will also go towards developing expanded service between Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago.
For more information, Department of Transport website.
