ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public information open house on Thursday to provide updates on plans for Rockford to Chicago rail service.

According to IDOT, the meeting will give the public the opportunity to learn about the project, which is scheduled to begin in 2027 and connect Chicago to Rockford via stops in Huntley and Belvidere.

The train service will include two round-trip trains every day, which are expected to take about 2 hours in travel time.

The initial announcement, made by Gov. JB Pritzker in 2023, said construction of the $275 million project would begin in 2025.

The passenger rail project uses funds from the Rebuild Illinois capital program.

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