A group of Illinois lawmakers is encouraging the state to study the feasibility of an east-west passenger rail corridor.
The route -- by bus at first, with the hope to eventually move to trains – would run from the Quad Cities to Danville. It would include stops in Galesburg, Peoria, Bloomington, and Champaign.
"We have essentially passenger rail that runs north and south in Illinois. This east-west corridor would really open it up,” said Representative Don Moffitt (R-Gilson).
He also said it would connect 14 colleges and universities.
Moffitt wants the Illinois Department of Transportation to gauge demand and project how much it would cost.
Backers acknowledge it would be years before any passenger trains might run along that route.
