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Transportation
Interstates/Highway
Western Illinois has long been surrounded by interstate highways: I-80 to the North, I-74 and I-72 to the East, I-70 and I-64 to the South and I-55 running North and South. Now, newly opened highways, those under construction, and others on the horizon create a web of four-lane access to the nation's interstate system.
Already located in the great midwest, these highway links put Western Illinois' future in a whole new light. What's more, the multi-counties of Western Illinois work together to help companies locate, grow, and prosper. One contact puts you in touch with an entire region of opportunities.
- The Central Illinois Expressway (I-72) opened in 1991, linking Western Illinois to East Coast interstate systems. A four-lane bridge over the Mississippi River at Hannibal is evidence of Missouri's commitment to extend this interstate to the west as well.
- Four-lane improvements to U.S. 67 and IL 336 are underway. Both feed into U.S. 34 which is also being upgraded to four lanes across Illinois and Iowa.
- Macomb, Illinois IL 336/U.S. 67 bypass has been funded.
- Three coast-to-coast interstates run through Illinois: I-70, I-55 and I-80.
- "Avenue of the Saints", 620 miles, from St. Paul to St. Louis is already four-lane is 98% completed.
- Missouri's upgrade of Highways 19 and 54 ties into the Avenue of the Saints and the Central Illinois Expressway.
Click Here For Official Illinois State Road Map
Click Here For Tri-State Summit Map
Rail
Our 19 - county area has Railroad bridges at Burlington Ia., Keokuk Ia. Ft. Madison Ia., Hannibal Mo. and Louisiana Mo. and we are located on the threshold of the convergence of all Western Railroads into the metro Chicago area. we enjoy a honeycomb of Class One and Short Line railroad infrastructure throughout our region.
Railroads providing service to our communities include Union Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Norfolk Southern and Gateway Western (Owned by Kansas City Southern) which represent 4 of the 5 largest U.S. Class One carriers. In addition to the 4 major lines there are numerous Short Line systems providing service to smaller communities and rural areas.
The most notable rail related asset in our region is the BNSF classification yards in Knox County which is the second largest such facility on the BNSF system which boasts a workforce of more than 1,200 employees.
In addition to freight rail, Western Illinois has multiple daily Amtrak passenger service from Quincy to Chicago with stops in Macomb, Galesburg, Kewanee and public transportation links to O’Hare and Midway airports. Information is available on www.amtrak.com under schedules for Illinois/Missouri service.
Click Here For Illinois Railroad Map
Air
Quincy Regional Airport
Commercial airport with flights to St. Louis, Missouri. Three runways with adjoining taxiways. Longest runway is 7,100 feet. Services include aviation fuel, maintenance, storage plus charter service.
Galesburg Municipal Airport
Lighted, concrete runway surface, 5,200 feet long. Services include aviation fuel, aircraft parking, aircraft rental, and aircraft maintenance.
Jacksonville Municipal Airport
Lighted, concrete runway surface, 5,000 feet long. Services include avaiation fuel, storage, and maintenance.
Macomb Municipal Airport
Lighted, concrete runway surface, 5,100 feet long. Services include aviation fuel, parking, maintenance and charter service.
Monmouth Municipal Airport
Lighted, concrete runway surface, 2,900 feet long. Services include aviation fuel and parking.
Additional commercial airports within 35 - 100 miles include:
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois
Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington, Illinois
Greater Peoria Regional Airport in Peoria, Illinois
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri
Quad City International Airport in Moline, Illinois
All the above additional airports offer commercial jet service.
River
Opportunity for Economic Advantage Through Export and Import In West Central Illinois
The legislators of the Tri-State area of Northeast Missouri, Southeast Iowa and West Central Illinois, with the cooperation of Illinois Iowa and Missouri, confidently believed that a better coordination of intermodal transportation services and improved facilities for commerce could best be accomplished through a joint or common agency. Thus, the Mid-America Port Commission had been created by concurrent Acts passed by these states.
Mid-America Intermodal Authority Port District created in 1998 has the legislative mandate of creating jobs and promoting industrial, commercial and intermodal transportation developments in West-Central Illinois. The MAIC Port District has in its goal consistent planning within the specialized area of port development and to participate in achieving area/regional economic development.
Operation and development of a U.S. inland river port is a specialized activity requiring multi-modal interfacing of rail, truck and water transportation to perform effectively and efficiently. The State of Illinois has empowered Illinois Port Districts to perform multiple economic development activities ranging from the creation of industrial parks to the creation of an entity with broad development powers to assist in improving the region's economic potential and to create jobs for its citizens. This is what, we think, Mid-America Intermodal Authority Port District is and this is the reason for its existence and its future.
- The Illinois and Mississippi Rivers help deliver the bounty of Illinois' wheat, corn and soybeans to America and the world. A large portion of the Illinois grain helps feed a hungry world.
- There is a bright prospect for other Illinois export goods going to the world market via inland waterway systems.
- Illinois, the nation's sixth largest coal producing state has not been a major player in the exported coal market in recent years. Illinois is the center of the Illinois Basin Coal fields, a vast reserve of coal deposits stretching across southern and south central Illinois. Illinois Basis Coal has been powering utility steam electric boilers from the Mid-Atlantic States to the Rocky Mountains and beyond for decades. The bulk of Illinois coal goes via rail or barge down the Mississippi River to terminals on the Gulf of Mexico.
- Because of our proximity to this nationís inland waterway system, we have a marvelous economic advantage for creating a major coal blending facility, with low-sulfur coal from the western states, and shipping it out to domestic consumption destinations here and abroad. How we can make the best use of this opportunity could very well dictate the direction that our state ís economy will take in the 21st century.
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