Press Releases

Press Releases

CREATE Program to announce opportunities for contractors

February 14, 2025 – The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program will host a forum for contractors to learn more about work opportunities tied to its Westside Gateway (WA1) initiative from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at HIRE360, 2540 S. State St., Chicago. Click here to read the full press release.    
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Press Releases

The CREATE Program Secures Major Federal Grants to Transform Chicago’s 75th Street Corridor, Driving Regional Mobility and National Supply Chain Resilience

December 13, 2024 – The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program announced today that more than $290M has been awarded through the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to accelerate improvements to the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP), the largest rail chokepoint in the Chicago Region. Through the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) program, the CREATE Program will receive $209,877,984 from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) program and $81,301.065 from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program, ensuring the success of projects that strengthen freight and passenger transportation in the Chicago region and across the ...
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Press Releases

Norfolk Southern Selects Construction Manager for CREATE Project’s Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement (EW3a)

The Chicago Region Environmental And Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program partners are pleased to announce NS has selected TranSystems to provide construction management services for the CREATE Program’s Pullman Junction Interlocking Improvement Project (EW3-Segment A). TranSystems will soon begin engineering and administrative management services and is expected to continue until construction of this fully funded, $37 million track and signal project is completed in 2027. The project is located in the vicinity of 9500 South Stony Island Avenue on Chicago’s south side and is the recipient of a Federal Railroad Administration CRISI grant award. Click here to read the full bid ...
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Press Releases

CREATE Program Partners Share Their Vision for Building the Region’s Most Significant Rail Project: 80th Street Junction and the Belt Replacement

October 18, 2023 – The CREATE Program sponsored a panel discussion regarding the role the 80th Street Junction and the Belt Replacement Project will play in transforming the nation’s passenger and freight rail system. This project will remove North America’s largest chokepoint in the freight rail network and result in significant global, national, statewide, regional and local impacts on the supply chain and passenger rail service. Recently, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) applied for a $260 million federal grant from the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity Program to fund the first segment of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project ...
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Press Releases

Track Design Firm Selected for the Norfolk Southern CREATE Project EW2 – Segment B

We are excited to announce Norfolk Southern has selected Gannet Fleming, Hanson, and Parsons as lead contractors for the CREATE Program’s Project EW2- Segment B. As a part of the CREATE public-private partnership, the project will include major rehabilitation or replacement nearly 100 structures within the project, many of which were constructed more than a century ago.
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Press Releases

Bell Avenue Construction Notice

Bell Avenue construction prep work begins July 18th and 19th. Construction work starts August 1, 2023. Construction work will begin on building a retaining wall including new security fencing and guardrails. Completion of the project is targeted for November 2023. Work will take place in the alley between 68th and Marquette Avenue, Monday – Friday, during the hours of 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM, weather permitting. Please be aware you may see crews working in your neighborhood. Prep work will require crews to access each homeowner’s private property to perform building inspections and the installation of seismographs on some homeowner’s ...
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Archive

2020

03-24-20 – CREATE Partners Announce $12.9 Million CRISI Grant for Pullman Junction opens in a new tab (PDF)

2019

10-15-19 – CREATE Partners Initiate Education Program in Conjunction with 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project opens in a new tab (PDF)

06-11-19 – CREATE Partners Receive $19 Million CRISI Grant for Dolton Junction Interlocking Project opens in a new tab (PDF)

04-26-19 – U.S. Congressman Dan Lipinski, IDOT Secretary Omer Osman, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, AAR President & CEO Ian Jefferies and other CREATE Program Partners Celebrate Groundbreaking for Argo Connections (B9) Project opens in a new tab (PDF)

2018

10-01-18 – CREATE Partners Mark 75th Street Rail Corridor Improvement Project opens in a new tab (PDF)

06-05-18 – Mayor Emanuel and CREATE Partners Announce $132 Million Grant to Improve Rail Congestion Across the Region opens in a new tab (PDF)

2017

10-18-17 – CREATE Project Breaks Ground in Franklin Park and Bensenville opens in a new tab (PDF)

10-06-17 – Intersection Improvements, Grade Separation Complete at Irving Park Road and York Road opens in a new tab (PDF)

2016

12-22-16 – CREATE Grade Separation Opens in Bellwood, Improving Safety, Travel Times and Quality of Life opens in a new tab (PDF)

02-18-16 – FRA Grant Award for CREATE Grade Crossing opens in a new tab (PDF)

2014

10-23-14 – Officials celebrate opening of Englewood flyover opens in a new tab (PDF)

2013

11-02-13 – Governor Quinn Opens $29.8 Million Bridgeview Railroad Underpass

10-02-13 – Englewood Flyover bridge to require Dan Ryan closures

09-19-13 – Blue Island Create Modernization Project Completed

2012

02-19-13 – Governor Quinn Launches $67 Million Grade Separation Project in Bensenville CREATE Rail Flyover Project Will Create 870 Jobs, Ease Traffic Delays and Speed Freight Travel

10-19-2012 – Belmont Road Grade Separation Completed opens in a new tab (PDF)

10-3-2012 – Governor Quinn Announces Construction of 1,000th Bridge Since Becoming Governor opens in a new tab (PDF)

10-3-2012 – TIGER-funded CREATE Project Completed opens in a new tab (PDF)

6-22-2012 – U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Funding for 47 TIGER 2012 Projects as Overwhelming Demand for TIGER Dollars Continues

6-20-2012 – Durbin, Quinn Announce $10.4 Million TIGER Grant for Rail Improvements

2011

11-7-2011: $19.5 Million CREATE Project Completed opens in a new tab (PDF)

6-24-2011: DOT Provides $126 Million to Ease Train Congestion in Chicago Rail Corridor, Construction Slated for Late Summer 2011

1-31-2011: Final Feasibility Study Amendment 1 (Modified) – 2011

1-6-2011: CREATE Quick to Obligate TIGER Award opens in a new tab (PDF)

2010

9-29-2010: CREATE Signalization Project Begins Construction

8-4-10: U.S. Department of Transportation Gives Go-Ahead to Begin Construction on Projects as Part of the Chicago Metro Area’s “CREATE” Program

8-3-10: CREATE 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project Website Launched

2-22-10: 63rd and State Flyover Design Contract Awarded

2-17-10: CREATE Awarded $100 Million in Recovery Funds opens in a new tab (PDF)

2-16-10: CREATE 63rd and State (Englewood) Flyover Design Contract Awarded opens in a new tab (PDF)

1-30-10: Governor Quinn and U.S. Senator Durbin Announce Plans for High Speed Passenger Rail Investment opens in a new tab (PDF)

1-29-10: Mayor Daley Says Federal High Speed Funding Strengthens Chicago as Center of Rail Network opens in a new tab (PDF)

2009

10-5-09: $26 Million CREATE Project to Reduce Rail Congestion and Improve Air Quality in Two Illinois Communities opens in a new tab (PDF)

9-15-09: CREATE TIGER Grant Application Submitted opens in a new tab (PDF)

3-15-09: Summit B8 Project Complete opens in a new tab (PDF)

2008

3-23-08: CREATE Partners Announce Track Work Over Easter Weekend Will Speed Freight on SE Side opens in a new tab (PDF)

2006

9-18-06: Rep. Lipinski Joined by Federal, State, and Local Officials to Announce New Agreement on Funding of CREATE opens in a new tab (PDF)

2004

4-20-04: CREATE Partners Announce Award of $12.5 Million for Preliminary Engineering Contracts opens in a new tab (PDF)