Amtrak Wins Major Grants for $572M Midwest Maintenance Facility and Chicago Bridge Repairs

Amtrak secured multiple awards from the National Railroad Partnership Program to fund a new Midwest Maintenance Facility in Chicago and several bridge and viaduct rehabilitation projects that will strengthen freight and passenger service in the region.

New Midwest Maintenance Facility

The centerpiece of the awards is a $572 million Midwest Maintenance Facility to be constructed on Union Pacific-owned land south of the Chicago River and west of the South Branch Bridge. Amtrak says the new site will improve railcar servicing, reduce service disruptions and shorten turnaround times for trains serving Chicago.

"For years, Amtrak's Midwest and National rail customers and state partners have been desiring improved on-time performance," said Interim Amtrak President Byl Herrmann in a press release. "Investments in maintenance facilities will achieve that outcome. With these grants, Amtrak is able to accelerate those goals by more than a decade while improving conditions to deliver a safe, reliable, and efficient passenger rail service for years to come."

Seventeen national and regional routes rely on Chicago for maintenance, Amtrak notes, and the current 14th Street shops no longer provide the space, configuration, or modern capabilities needed for today's fleet or anticipated growth.

Project Delivery, Jobs and Costs

Canal Edge LLC will lead construction, with Amtrak estimating the build will support roughly 3,000 jobs during an 18-month development period. Amtrak estimates the total cost of the facility will exceed $900 million; Canal Edge controlling shareholder Justin Ishbia is contributing more than $125 million in personal capital to the project.

A new maintenance facility could allow Amtrak to sell its current Chicago yard site, in the foreground, which has been suggested as a site for a new Chicago White Sox ballpark. Google Earth

Under the delivery agreement, Canal Edge will build the facility and subsequently sell it to Amtrak. The construction milestone also clears the way for Amtrak's existing 14th Street yard and shops to change hands after the new facility opens. Earlier reporting indicated that Ishbia and his firm, Shore Capital Partners, have pursued acquisition of the 14th Street site and have discussed the property as a potential location for a future Chicago White Sox ballpark; Ishbia holds an option to buy the team that takes effect in 2029.

Bridge and Viaduct Investments

In addition to the maintenance facility grant, Amtrak received funds for two major infrastructure packages in the Chicago area:

• $37.2 million to rehabilitate the more-than-110-year-old South Branch Bridge over the Chicago River. Amtrak described the bridge as having significant reliability issues and maintenance needs, including past incidents when the lift span did not close properly during high heat.
• $87 million to rehabilitate or replace 17 bridges, viaducts and related structures in the corridor between Cermak and Pershing Roads, south of Union Station. The work is intended to address structural deficits and remove hazards to rail operations, motorists and pedestrians.

Why It Matters

The combined investments aim to improve on-time performance, reduce service disruptions, create construction and union jobs, and modernize critical infrastructure in a rail hub that supports numerous regional and national routes. The maintenance facility, in particular, is expected to boost operational efficiency across the network while enabling potential redevelopment of centrally located rail property.

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