Illinois has committed more than $90m to consolidate Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern operations onto a shared corridor along 10th Street in Springfield, eliminating at-grade crossings and building grade-separated structures in a state that carries the second-largest rail network in the United States.

Governor JB Pritzker has proclaimed September 21-27, 2026 as Rail Safety Week in Illinois, and the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is pairing the observance with a public awareness campaign run jointly with Operation Lifesaver, the national rail safety non-profit. The campaign targets drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, with a particular focus this year on the blue and white Emergency Notification System (ENS) signs posted at every highway-rail crossing in the state.

Those signs carry a telephone number and location data that allow a stranded motorist to alert the railroad directly. ICC Rail Safety Specialist and Illinois Operation Lifesaver Coordinator Aisha Jackson set out the procedure and the rationale bluntly.

"Every three hours, a person or vehicle in the U.S. is struck by a train. Illinois is the second largest rail system in the nation, putting us at greater risk for collisions. Following rail safety protocols and knowing what to do in an emergency saves lives," Jackson said. "If you are ever stuck on railroad tracks, exit the vehicle immediately, and move to a safe distance. By calling the number on the blue and white sign, you can alert the railroad of your location and potentially avoid a crash."

Pritzker framed the week as an education opportunity as much as an enforcement matter. "Rail Safety Week reminds us of the dangers associated with highway-rail crossings, and the importance of looking and listening near railways," the governor said. "I encourage Illinoisans to take the time to refresh their rail safety education and share that knowledge with loved ones."

Funding follows fatalities data

The awareness campaign sits on top of a sustained capital programme. Each year the ICC authorizes millions of dollars from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund and the Rebuild Illinois funds to help communities pay for crossing safety upgrades, and the agency chose Springfield as the venue for this year's Rail Safety Week press conference to showcase what that money buys.

ICC Chairman Doug Scott detailed the 10th Street corridor award. "The ICC has approved over $90 million to consolidate both the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to a shared corridor along 10th Street in Springfield. This funding focuses on at-grade crossing eliminations, new bridges, and safety warning device upgrades. This includes construction of 20 new highway-rail bridges which removed the interaction between trains and vehicles and eases traffic congestion," Scott said.

Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher reported results already delivered under the wider Springfield Rail Improvement Project: 32 at-grade crossings closed, eight new underpasses built and one new overpass constructed. "The Hub and the Springfield Rail Improvement Project are two major projects that will have a lasting impact on our community. Both have taken years of planning, collaboration, and hard work to move forward, and safety has remained an important part of that work," Buscher said, adding that the crossing changes benefit pedestrians, drivers, first responders and everyone travelling through the city.

Passenger infrastructure is following the freight-side works. Sangamon County District 13 Board Member Brad Miller said a new Amtrak station, an attached parking garage and a pedestrian bridge linking to the bus terminal and the Sangamon County Building are expected to be completed in late 2027. "This state-of-the-art facility will welcome visitors from all over the world, and keep travelers safe," Miller said.

Three pillars of the state programme

The ICC structures its rail safety work around what it calls the "Three E's": education delivered through Operation Lifesaver Illinois; enforcement of existing laws covering motorist and pedestrian behaviour around tracks; and engineering measures that make crossings physically and operationally safer. The commission's Rail Safety Program inspects and regulates track, facilities and equipment across the state, and residents can request an Operation Lifesaver presentation through the ICC's rail safety specialist.

The commission itself is a quasi-judicial body of five commissioners with broader utility oversight responsibilities, but its transportation regulatory and rail safety mandates put it at the centre of crossing policy in a state where the volume of rail traffic makes highway-rail conflict a persistent operational risk.

With the Springfield corridor consolidation funded, the grade separation programme largely delivered and the new Amtrak hub scheduled for late 2027, Illinois enters Rail Safety Week with measurable infrastructure results behind it — and a national collision statistic, one strike every three hours, that officials say still depends on driver behaviour to improve.