Illinois advances high-speed rail study as federal officials cite California failures

Illinois is studying high-speed rail to link cities like Chicago and St. Louis as the federal government reviews California's delayed and over-budget rail project.

The McLean County Regional Planning Commission is working with the Illinois Department of Transportation to complete the state’s first high-speed rail feasibility study. Over 15 years, $2.9 billion has gone into the Chicago–St. Louis route, aiming for 220 mph speeds.

Meanwhile, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized California’s high-speed rail project, citing a lack of transparency and progress.

"Sixteen billion was spent on high-speed rail in California, and there's not one high-speed track that's been laid. Not one. And $16 billion was spent,” Duffy said in a Washington Examiner interview. “It does beg the question, where did you spend the money? Did someone get rich? Did someone make a lot of money off taxpayer cash on the idea of a high-speed rail?”

Duffy said the cost to taxpayers could explode.

“The time frame has been extensive, and now the estimates are that this is going to cost upwards of $130 billion,” said Duffy.

In 2021, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law creating a 21-member commission to plan a statewide high-speed rail network. Duffy noted that California lacks the funds and should serve as a cautionary example for the rest of the country.

“You want to do it efficiently with the tax dollar and you want to have the build-out be timely. They've done the exact opposite.They've wasted billions of dollars,” said Duffy.

Illinois has been encouraging residents to share their input through a survey or by visiting a virtual event. The reported goal of the survey is to gauge how much interest there is for a high-speed rail system.

Despite the federal government ending a $63.9 million grant for the costly Texas High-Speed Rail project, the Illinois High Speed Rail Commission is on track to publish an initial feasibility report in early 2026.

The High Speed Rail Alliance says Illinois is fully funding the study to meet step two of the Federal Corridor ID process, though it’s not part of the program.

Duffy doubts California’s DOT will provide additional funding for the high-speed rail project.

“You should try to sell people on your ideas, not make them go, ‘these are black holes where people get rich and projects don't get built,’” said Duffy.

An overview of Illinois’ high-speed rail feasibility study’s progress was provided to the Illinois High Speed Rail commission at its meeting on May 19, 2025.