The Northwest Illinois Blackhawk Express is a citizen and business advocacy group representing northwest Illinois, northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin in promoting the creation of Amtrak rail service between Chicago and Dubuque with stops in Galena, Freeport, Rockford and Belvidere.
The Blackhawk Express Rail Coalition had its roots develop as part of the Tri-State Alliance initiative, which is a regional partnership of chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and metropolitan planning organizations representing northwest Illinois, northeastern Iowa, and southwestern Wisconsin. The Alliance has the priorities of establishing passenger rail service from Chicago to Dubuque, completing US 20 as four lane divided highway between Freeport and Dubuque, connecting I-39 from Janesville to I-43, and establishing broadband services along major corridors throughout the region.The Belvidere Chamber of Commerce, Freeport Chamber of Commerce, Galena Chamber of Commerce, Rockford Area Realtors, Rockford Chamber of Commerce, and Dubuque Economic Development organizations are all part of the Alliance and have been joined by residents, elected officials and other invested community and business groups in this grassroots partnership to advocate for an investment in and return of passenger rail service to the Tri-State area.
The entire region looks forward to the significant benefits rail service would bring, such as increases in tourism income, quality of life, job growth, urban and downtown development and attraction and retention of a talented workforce.
For more information about the Northwest Illinois Blackhawk Express, view the Frequently Asked Questions page. (PDF-FAQ sheet)
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