East Peoria is looking to potentially bring passenger-rail service back to the area for the first time in decades.  Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports:

A study done by the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District looks at possible sites in East Peoria for train stations to be built to link to other rail lines in the region.  District Director Steve Jaeger updated the East Peoria City Council on the local study yesterday.  He says one of the top locations for a train station would be near East Peoria’s new downtown development.

“It would be a hub in the sense of feeding passengers between train and busses that could take them to downtown Peoria, to the casino, to other points in the area where there’s demand,” Jaeger says.

The former Shopko store site and the Festival of Lights building were also selected as top sites for potential rail stations.  But officials say there’s no guarantee that rail service will come to the region.  They say funding is the biggest obstacle to returning passenger-rail service.  An Amtrack feasibility study exploring possible service from the Peoria-area to Chicago is set to be released later this year.  Officials say the local study of possible rail station sites was needed in the event Amtrack’s study also supports creating passenger rail in the region.  In other business the East Peoria City Council approved an agreement to complete the remaining work of the River Trail of Illinois that runs from Morton to Peoria.