$51 million earmarked for Illinois transit

U.S. Department of Transportation grant money totaling more than $51 million is headed to the State of Illinois to fund a number of transit projects. The DOT money will go to upgrade transit facilities, replace aging buses and equip them with new fuel-efficient vehicles and cost-saving materials.

The Chicago Transit Authority will receive $30 million to purchase of 60-foot hybrid diesel-electric transit buses to replace 40-foot diesel-powered buses. The CTA will also receive and additional $2 million to study the feasibility and investment for transit connections along the Lakefront Corridor. Meanwhile, Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District will receive nearly $2.1 million to construct a 1,600-square-foot transportation hub in downtown Rock Island.