CHICAGO (AP) -- Illinois officials say track improvement work will begin in September that will allow faster train speeds between Chicago and St. Louis.
According to Sen. Richard Durbin, the project, which will be completed by December, will create jobs and boost commerce along the route.
Construction will take place on track between just north of Alton to south of Springfield and between just north of Springfield to south of Lincoln.
The $98 million project is a part of $1.1 billion awarded in January by the Obama Administration to improve passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Louis.
The improvements are expected to allow trains to operate at up to 110 mph.
At that speed, up from 79 mph currently, travel time between the cities would be cut by about 90 minutes, to under four hours.
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Information from: Chicago Sun-Times, http://www.suntimes.com/index
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