PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Peoria City Council voted to approve a resolution for $250,000 to go towards the passenger rail project on Tuesday.
It’ll be for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Planning Grant. The city is asking for $2.5 million through federal funding with the CRISI grant.
City Manager Patrick Urich said the grant application requires a 20% funding commitment. The Illinois Department of Transportation will match the city with $250,000. Once the CRISI Grant is awarded, the local funding match will be accepted.
The vote passed nine to one with Councilmember John L. Kelly voting no. He believes the train system will fail like the Peoria Rocket in previous years and he doesn’t want taxpayers to lose money on this project.
“I love the train. I take the train to see my kids and my grandkids. But I know it’s heavily subsidized. I don’t want our taxpayers in Peoria to be big subsidizers of this thing if it’s not going to work,” Kelly said.
