{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-illinois-congressional-delegation-announce-over-68-million-for-accessible-transportation-upgrades", "Duckworth, Durbin, Illinois Congressional Delegation Announce Over $68 Million for Accessible Transportation Upgrades", "2026-09-09", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-2), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-3), Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garcia (D-IL-4), Mike Quigley (D-IL-5), Sean Casten (D-IL-6), Danny Davis (D-IL-7) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) announced that several Illinois communities will receive federal funding to make transit accessible for all travelers, thanks to Duckworth\u2019s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced that Metra will receive a total of $68,192,000 in funding to help build ramps, install elevators and make other improvements to help ensure that the region\u2019s stations and rail systems are finally usable for those with disabilities.\n\n\u201cAccessibility isn\u2019t a luxury\u2014it\u2019s a necessity,\u201d said Senator Duckworth. \u201cEveryone benefits from more ramps and elevators, and I\u2019m proud to see this $68 million investment build on the progress we\u2019ve made through my All Stations Accessibility Program to make our transit systems more accessible. Together, we\u2019ll keep fighting for the resources our communities need toensure everyone can travel safely and efficiently.\u201d\n\n\u201cPublic transit should be for everyone, but some transit stations in Illinois are still in need of the upgrades that make commuter rail accessible for all riders,\u201d Senator Durbin said. \u201cThis $68 million federal investment into Illinois\u2019 Metra stations, made possible by ASAP grants championed by the Illinois congressional delegation, will significantly improve ADA compliance and accessibility for every rider.\u201d\n\n\u201cEveryone deserves safe, equitable, and fully accessible public transportation,\u201d said Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL-2). \u201cSecuring more than $44.6 million for the 111th Street and Olympia Fields stations will help tear down physical barriers to transit access, making it easier for people with disabilities, seniors, and parents across Illinois' Second Congressional District get where they need to go.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in our infrastructure is an investment in the safety and well-being of our communities, the economic development of our region, and thriving futures for our families. I am excited to see $68,192,000 of federal funding coming to our communities to prioritize the safety and accessibility of public transportation for our neighbors with disabilities. THIS renovation is what our federal tax dollars should be funding projects by the community for the community,\u201d said Congresswoman Ramirez (D-IL-3).\n\n\u201cThroughout my career, I have fought to advance policies and decisions that help expand accessibility in Chicago's public transit system. I am proud that the $68 million in federal funds coming to Illinois are from the All Stations Accessibility Program, an initiative that Sen. Duckworth and I worked to include in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021,\u201d said Congressman Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-IL-4). \u201cThese funds will help ensure our public transit systems can better serve all riders in Illinois, particularly seniors and people with disabilities.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccessible transportation is equal transportation. Americans with disabilities deserve equal access to the same trains and same train stations their able-bodied neighbors use every day,\u201d said Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL-5). \u201cI\u2019m thankful for Senator Duckworth\u2019s work on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I\u2019m excited to see this $68 million in federal funding improve transportation for Illinois residents statewide.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to see this federal funding come to Illinois that will help make our rail system more accessible for Illinoisans as they commute, travel, and connect with communities across the region,\u201d said Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL-6).\n\n\u201cAccessible public transportation is not a luxury\u2014it is a fundamental part of ensuring that every person can fully participate in our communities,\u201d said Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL-7). \u201cI applaud Congress\u2019 investment of more than $68 million to improve accessibility at Metra stations in Illinois. These improvements will make a meaningful difference for people with disabilities, seniors, and families who depend on public transportation. Federal investments like these strengthen our transportation infrastructure while advancing the basic principle that our public transit system should be accessible to everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cEveryone deserves safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation,\u201d said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9). \u201cThese latest federal investments will help break down barriers for people with disabilities, seniors, and families in our communities who rely on public transit. I\u2019m grateful to fight alongside so many champions for greater accessibility and to help ensure these resources reach Illinois communities. There is more work ahead, but thanks to the ASAP program, we are moving toward a transit system that truly works for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cMetra applauds Senator Duckworth and our congressional delegation for their exemplary leadership on securing this critical federal discretionary grant program to make transit accessible for everyone,\u201d said Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski. \u201cThis funding will make sure three legacy rail stations meet and exceed standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to upgrade critical transit accessibility infrastructure through the FTA\u2019s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) grant program. Improving these three Metra stations will help enhance connectivity in key corridors and the entire region, a key goal of the landmark and transformational Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act. Metra is appreciative of this critical federal funding that will help to usher in the new NITA era by enhancing the accessibility at these stations while making the entire transit experience in and around Northeastern Illinois more user-friendly. Metra was an early supporter of Senator Duckworth's ASAP Reauthorization Act and will continue to work with the Senator, her colleagues in Congress, and the Northern Illinois Transit Authority and other regional supporters to advocate for its passage in Congress.\u201d\n\nThe following transit stations have been awarded funding to improve accessibility, including:\n\nMetra\u2019s Hubbard Woods Station Accessibility Renovation (Winnetka): $23,500,000\n\n111th Street Station Accessibility at Pullman National Park (Chicago): $17,752,000\n\nMetra\u2019s Olympia Fields Station Accessibility Renovation (Olympia Fields): $26,940,000\n\nAs the ASAP program is set to expire at the end of this month, Duckworth joined U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the first-ever grant program dedicated to improving accessibility at public transit stations. Because of ASAP, Illinois has already received $185 million in funding for job-creating Chicago Transit Authority and Metra projects to build ramps, install elevators and make other improvements to make the region\u2019s public transit system accessible.\n\nBefore Senator Duckworth\u2019s All Stations Accessibility Program was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, more than 900 transit stations across the country still lacked basic ADA-compliant access. The ASAP Program invested $1.75 billion for transit systems to make essential upgrades, including installing elevators, accessible pathways and platform upgrades, and ensuring electronic ticketing, kiosks, notification systems, signage and mobile apps are accessible to people with disabilities. With demand for ASAP funding far exceeding available resources, continued bipartisan investments are critical to ensuring transit systems are accessible from station platforms to the digital tools riders rely on.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-durbin-illinois-congressional-delegation-announce-over-68-million-for-accessible-transportation-upgrades"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.6608610060065985, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}