Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL), the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), and local and regional transportation officials Wednesday to formally open the final phase of the Joliet Gateway Center.
As part of Pritzker’s $7.5 million investment Rebuild Illinois plan, the new Pace bus station is connected to Metra and Amtrak passenger rail services.
“The state of Illinois is proud to dedicate nearly $40 million to the Joliet Multi-Modal Transportation Center, support made possible in part by Rebuild Illinois,” Pritzker said. “Investments like these do more than just connect cities – they allow our residents to access opportunities beyond their immediate neighborhoods, streamline regional collaborations, and open doors for new jobs and new businesses. I’m proud to partner with local and federal officials to mark yet another milestone for this region.”
The new facility includes a bus turnaround as well as improvements to vehicle parking and pedestrian access. With 13 loading areas for buses, passenger islands that include canopies and shelters, accessible sidewalks, and public restrooms, the $9.7 million project was paid for by a state commitment of $9.2 million and a $500,000 commitment from Joliet.
“Thanks to good planning and good leadership, people can now wait comfortably inside this facility, and can get to jobs in downtown Joliet or downtown Chicago because bus lines, Metra, and Amtrak, are all here,” Buttigieg said.
The state’s total commitment for the Joliet Gateway Center since its initial construction in 2018 is $39.5 million.
“This latest improvement to the Joliet Gateway Center shows how investing in infrastructure can revitalize communities and make them safer in innovative, exciting ways,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Rebuild Illinois has been a catalyst to connect our state through affordable, accessible, and multiple modes of transportation.”