Quigley, Duckworth Unveil Bicameral Bill to Launch Federal Grant Program Dedicated to Commuter Rail Bridges
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) unveiled new legislation to revitalize our nation’s rapidly aging and deteriorating commuter rail bridges while making it easier and safer for Americans who depend on rail transportation to get around. With over 200 Metra bridges in dire need of repair in Chicago, the Building Rail Infrastructure for a Durable & Growing Economy (BRIDGE) Act would establish a first-ever $1.5 billion competitive grant program to fund the long-overdue maintenance, replacement and rehabilitation of commuter rail bridges in Illinois and across the country.
“Commuter rail connects Chicago to the Chicagoland region. It brings workers and visitors into our city, generating economic activity that strengthens our entire region,” said Congressman Quigley, a senior member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. “Too many of the bridges our commuter rail system, and other systems across the country, rely on are in desperate need of repair. Yet, there is no dedicated federal program to address their condition. The BRIDGE Act closes that gap by creating a reliable source of funding to modernize commuter rail bridges, improve safety, and ensure these systems can serve riders efficiently for decades to come.”
“Across Chicago and cities around the country, thousands of commuters rely on rail bridges that are more than a century old—bridges that were never meant to carry today’s level of traffic,” said Senator Duckworth. “This legislation is about more than just bringing our infrastructure into this century—it’s about protecting safety, growing our economy and making it easier for people and goods to get where they need to go. Investing in these bridges is an investment in middle-class families, so we can ensure our transportation system remains not only affordable but also safe and efficient.”
Metra alone owns 446 bridges—over half of which are more than a century old. Yet unlike other transportation modes, there are no federal programs specifically dedicated to improving commuter rail bridges, creating a significant funding gap and ongoing challenges for commuter rail systems across the country.
The BRIDGE Act would use funding from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund to authorize $1.5 billion annually from Fiscal Year 2027 through 2031 for this new program to be administered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This would help cover the funding gap that rail commuter systems need to maintain and improve their infrastructure.
A copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
The bill has been endorsed by Metra, the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 and International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers - Transportation Division (SMART-TD).
"Metra applauds Senator Duckworth and Representative Quigley for their leadership in recognizing the unique and longstanding needs of commuter railroads in the United States by championing legislation to address them," said Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski. "The BRIDGE Act represents a critical investment in the long-term safety and reliability of our region’s commuter rail system and will deliver urgently needed resources for bridge replacement and rehabilitation, ensuring commuter rail remains a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation option for generations to come."