Gov. JB Pritzker, along with Illinois Department of Transportation leaders, announced nearly $220 million for transit and port projects in downstate Illinois during a stop in East St. Louis last Wednesday. 

This funding is part of the second round of grants awarded through the Rebuild Illinois Program. A total of $111.4 million was awarded to 37 transit systems, including $2 million to Monroe-Randolph Transit District.

The transit district’s director Jesica Gentry Schlimme said MRTD had also applied for $580,000 for replacement vehicles, which it was granted in addition to the $2 million for a transit facility. She said a feasibility study will be conducted before moving forward facility planning. 

Currently, MRTD is leasing its two hub location facilities (one in Sparta, one in Waterloo). 

“This grant will provide MRTD an opportunity to build a facility that 100 percent meets our needs as a public mass transit district while also planning for future growth,” Gentry Schlimme said. “This is an exciting time for downstate transit. These grant dollars will replenish an aging fleet of wheelchair-accessible vehicles and provide opportunities to expand our services.” 

Twelve port district projects received a total of $108.3 million in funds, with $10 million being allocated to Kaskaskia Regional Port District No. 1 rail loop and outbound conveyors. An additional $2.7 million was allocated for KRPD’s No. 2 Gateway FS expansion. 

Anna Guebert, KRPD secretary, said the $10 million will be used to build new railroad infrastructure and make necessary updates to existing features.

“The project will provide via contractual services the final design and specifications for construction to increase capacity at the terminal,” Guebert said. “The Port District Master Plan calls for the outbound capacity of the terminal to be upgraded to handle other commodities, be it fly ash, gypsum or grain. The improvements can be used for many outbound commodities. This calls for the installation of a second rail loop at KRPD No. 1, (which will be) 20,437 feet of track, along with two outbound conveyors and dump pits and a dolphin in the river to handle gypsum and fly ash.” 

KRPD board chairman George Obernagel said the project came about to adequately serve the increasing amount of products coming to and from the Prairie State power plant and future business. 

Guebert said KRPD’s No. 2 Gateway FS expansion includes replacing the current conveyor, expanding the dry fertilizer facility and the demolition of the dome buildings.

The press release said projects that benefit from last week’s announcement include new vehicles, bus shelters, stations, maintenance facilities and more for facilities and systems across the state. 

“These awards to our ports and transit systems will only strengthen our status as the multimodal transportation hub of North America,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said. “Through Rebuild Illinois, Gov. Pritzker and IDOT continue to improve the state’s transportation system by seeking out the best projects that do the most good and getting our partners at the local level the resources they need to deliver them.” 

This funding is part of a larger effort to improve Illinois transportation systems – both of people and products – while simultaneously providing economic opportunity. When combined with the recently announced Rebuild Illinois funding for port districts and transit systems, the sum allocated to the Illinois transportation system totals over $600 million. 

A final round of grant opportunities for downstate transit is expected to come later this year.