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SB 1901

$IDOT-STATE RAILWAY PROGRAM

104th Regular Session Introduced by Javier Cervantes and 4 co-sponsors

authorizes a $575 million state investment to plan, electrify, upgrade, and operate statewide passenger rail, expanding service beyond RTA to Chicago and O’Hare.

Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 1901

Summary — SB 1901: $IDOT — Statewide Railway Program

Status: Enacted by the 104th General Assembly (Introduced Feb 6, 2025; Governor signed May 30, 2025).
Primary sponsor: Sen. Steve Stadelman. Co-sponsors: Mike Simmons, David Koehler, Javier L. Cervantes, Graciela Guzmán.

Purpose and intent

SB 1901 authorizes a one-time appropriation of $575,000,000 from the Illinois General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to support a multi‑component Statewide Railway Program. The bill funds planning, capital upgrades, operations, maintenance facilities, equipment acquisition, staffing, and multimodal connections intended to expand and modernize passenger rail service across Illinois — with a particular emphasis on electrification, higher-speed service, and linking communities outside the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) area to Chicago and O’Hare.

Key appropriations and provisions (by section)

  • Total appropriation: $575,000,000 (sum of amounts below).
  • Section 5 — $70,000,000 for planning, design, and environmental clearance of a new electrified high‑speed line designed for speeds in excess of 186 miles per hour.
  • Section 10 — $230,000,000 for capital improvements to existing passenger lines, construction of new lines or routes, and related upgrades. Eligible uses listed include bridge repair/replacement, electrification, upgrading tracks to FRA Class 4 standards or better, adding second/third mainline tracks, installing train control systems, modernizing or procuring trains, and overhead catenary work for mainline electrification.
  • Section 15 — $100,000,000 for construction, modernization, and purchase of maintenance/servicing facilities and for purchasing or modernizing rolling stock.
  • Section 20 — $2,000,000 for salaries and expenses to add professional staff to the rail implementation division of IDOT’s Office of Intermodal Project Implementation.
  • Section 25 — $100,000,000 to operate passenger trains that link communities outside RTA boundaries to Chicago and O’Hare, and to connect those communities to other non‑RTA communities (interregional operations).
  • Section 30 — $50,000,000 to maintain mainline tracks on passenger routes at FRA Class 5 or better.
  • Section 35 — $23,000,000 to operate regional buses that connect communities without rail stations to the statewide passenger rail network and to supplement rail service frequency.

Who is affected

  • Illinois Department of Transportation: recipient and program manager.
  • Passengers and communities statewide, especially communities outside RTA boundaries seeking direct rail access to Chicago/O’Hare.
  • Rail operators, contractors, and suppliers involved in construction, electrification, rolling stock, and maintenance.
  • Regional Transportation Authorities and local governments coordinating service/connectivity and operations.
  • State budget: the funds are drawn from the General Revenue Fund and represent a state fiscal commitment of $575 million.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Bill text states an effective date of July 1, 2025 (Section 99). Legislative record shows the Governor signed the bill on May 30, 2025 and records it as “Effective immediately.” (Users should consult the enrolled Act or the Secretary of State for the final effective date.)
  • The bill moved through relevant committees (Appropriations, Finance), was reported favorably, passed both chambers in May 2025, was enrolled and sent to the Governor, and was signed.

Expected impacts and considerations

  • Enables preliminary work on an electrified very‑high‑speed corridor (>186 mph) and substantial capital and operational investments to expand and modernize rail service.
  • Funds may support increased speeds, capacity (additional tracks), safety (train control systems), electrification infrastructure, maintenance capacity, and feeder bus connectivity.
  • Fiscal impact: $575 million from the state General Revenue Fund; the bill does not specify federal matches or other funding sources, though these projects may later leverage federal or local funds.
  • Some bill text has formatting/typographical inconsistencies; substance indicates a broad multi‑year investment in statewide passenger rail infrastructure and operations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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