SR0282 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, President Barack Obama has transformed intercity passenger rail policy by articulating a vision for high-speed rail in the nation and putting real resources behind his vision; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Railroad Administration has designated corridors throughout the nation, including St. Louis-Chicago, St. Paul-Chicago, Detroit-Chicago, and Cleveland-Chicago as high-speed rail corridors eligible for federal funding; and

WHEREAS, Two of the largest cities in the nation, Chicago and New York City, are not currently contemplated to be linked together in any high-speed rail corridor designations; and

WHEREAS, A Chicago-Cleveland and a Buffalo-New York City corridor have both been designated as high-speed rail corridors; and

WHEREAS, Cleveland and Buffalo are 190 miles apart; and

WHEREAS, Establishing a Cleveland-Buffalo corridor would connect the two great cities of Chicago and New York City, strengthening both high-speed rail networks immeasurably by granting access to the Midwest and East corridors to both population centers; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in the spirit of regional cooperation, we urge President Barack Obama, the Secretary of United States Department of Transportation, Ray LaHood, and the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Joseph Szabo, to designate the Cleveland-Buffalo corridor a high-speed rail corridor eligible for federal funding in order to create a high-speed rail corridor between Chicago and New York City; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to President Obama, the Illinois congressional delegation, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, and the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.