Illinois is investing an additional $114 million in downstate transit providers under the state’s Rebuild Illinois capital program, according to a press release Tuesday.
More than 30 transit systems will receive funding for 44 projects. The money will go to a wide range of transportation improvements, including electric and hybrid-electric transit vehicles, electric bus or transit vehicle charging stations, new bus shelters, solar panel installations and facility expansions.
Illinois has invested almost $338 million in downstate transit across three rounds of grants under the Rebuild Illinois program. Earlier investments included renovated kiosks for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, Bloomington’s new transportation center and a new building for the West Central Mass Transit District in Jacksonville, the press release said.
Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement that "this third round of grants will increase transportation options and create more good-paying jobs across downstate Illinois.”
Illinois passed the Rebuild Illinois program in 2019, investing more than $33 billion in the state’s transportation system over six years, making it the largest capital program in Illinois’ history. The program is investing in all transportation modes, including “roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations,” the press release said.
The state is also receiving an estimated $17.8 billion in federal funding over five years through the bipartisan infrastructure law, with almost $16 billion set aside for transportation improvements. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the funding will go towards highway development, bridge replacement and repairs, Amtrak passenger rail repairs and improvements, public transit enhancements, airport infrastructure development and EV charging network deployment.
