Transportation

The roadways, railways, and waterways that crisscross the nation are the backbone of our country. The 11th Congressional District boasts 6 Class I railroads, seven interstates, and countless waterways that allow goods and services to move across this country. Congresswoman Halvorson believes that we must maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure to help the Illinois economy thrive and prosper. Congresswoman Halvorson also believes it is necessary to take a broad, forward looking approach to transportation infrastructure by not only investing in current transportation infrastructure, but also investing in airport infrastructure, high-speed rail, upgrading our locks and dams, and supporting green projects that create alternatives to auto travel.

Important Issues in the 111th Congress:

Investment in Transportation Infrastructure

Congresswoman Halvorson supports investing in our transportation infrastructure. She has:

Voted in favor of the FY10 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that included funding for investments in Illinois roads,
Voted to provide $1.5 billion in grants for highways, bridges, mass transit, rail, and port infrastructure,
Voted in favor of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization to upgrade our nation's air traffic control system, to help reduce delays at O'Hare and Midway International Airports.

High Speed Rail

Congresswoman Halvorson has been a strong advocate for high speed rail investments in Illinois. With two potential stops in the 11th District on the Heritage Corridor, the rail line connecting Chicago and St. Louis, in 2009 Congresswoman Halvorson hosted two events in Joliet and Normal, Illinois to bring together stakeholders to promote and support high speed rail.

In early Feburary 2010, over $1.2 billion in high-speed rail funding was announced for the corridor including stops in Joliet and Bloomington-Normal in the 11th District.

Congresswoman Halvorson also led an effort to include more than $8 billion in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, for high speed rail. These funds will help the country move forward on high speed rail development.

Furthermore, Congresswoman Halvorson has provided continued support to both Joliet and Normal, Illinois for their proposed multimodal centers that will allow users of high speed rail, metra, and amtrak to connect with other mass transportation services including commuter rail and bus services.

Local Infrastructure Projects

Congresswoman Halvorson has made it a priority to work with local, county and state stakeholders in order to further local infrastructure projects. A few of the highest priorities include the local infrastructure improvements including the construction of the Illiana, expansion of Route 30, intermodal and multimodal development, expansion of I-80, and upgrades to several roads and bridge.

Fighting for Illinois' Waterways

The Illinois' waterway system is a critical component of the state's economic strength, but is aging and in need of urgent repair. Fighting to ensure the safety and continued operation of our locks, Congresswoman Halvorson:

Strongly opposed the closure of the locks near Chicago as a way to keep invasive fish species from reaching Lake Michigan, when such an approach is unproven and would cause economic harm to Illinois agriculture, businesses and jobs,
Voted for H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provided $1.4 million for maintenance for the Brandon Road lock near Joliet and the Dresden lock near Morris, in addition to $88.8 million for the Lockport lock system,
Brought representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers to the Illinois River lock and dam system to tour the area with local agricultural stakeholders in order to demonstrate the urgent need for action and repair.

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