Transportation Dept. Hands Out $500 Million More Stimulus Funds – Including $100 Million for Trains in Obama’s Hometown

In a fourth round of funding grants paid for by the $831 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Chicago is receiving $100 million of $500 million for CREATE, a regional rail task force.

The task force web site describes the program as a “partnership” between the Transportation Department, the state of Illinois, city of Chicago and the Metropolitan Rail Corporation (Metra), Amtrak, and freight railroads using the rail lines. The task force goals include improving infrastructure, passenger service, public safety, and to “create and retain jobs” and “improve air quality.”

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