The project will study the feasibility of removal and repurposing of the eligible rail tracks and yards, as well as the configuration of additional right of ways for alternative uses and mixed-use…

This $375,031 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration under the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (CFDA 20.940) program will fund a study to assess the feasibility of removing and repurposing eligible rail tracks and yards in Rockford, Illinois. The study will identify transit-oriented development opportunities and evaluate options to extend the downtown street grid, which is currently impeded by the existing rail lines. The goal is to improve connectivity, economic development, and housing access for the residential community south of the eligible facilities. The award was made on December 12, 2024, with a targeted completion date of January 1, 2027. The awardee is the Region 1 Joint Planning Commission, a regional planning organization serving the Rockford metropolitan area.

The project will study the feasibility of removal and repurposing of the eligible rail tracks and yards, as well as the configuration of additional right of ways for alternative uses and mixed-use development. The study will identify transit-oriented development opportunities throughout the eligible facility centered around a new passenger rail station along the existing union pacific tracks. The existing rail lines prohibit extension of the downtown street grid, which impacts economic and housing development, and prevent the residential community south of the eligible facilities from having a direct connection to downtown rockford on the north side.