SB1314 Summary

• Amends the Elmwood Park Grade Separation Authority Act to replace references to Canadian Pacific Railway with the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation throughout the statute.

• Reduces the Authority's board from 9 members to 7 members, with 5 voting members and 2 non-voting members; reorganizes board composition to include one current employee each from the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation and Canadian Pacific Railway.

• Authorizes the Illinois Commerce Commission to use up to $12,000,000 from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund to reimburse the Authority for constructing a grade separation at the Grand Avenue highway-rail crossing, without regard to jurisdictional boundaries.

• Requires the Authority to conduct a preliminary engineering study and funding plan for the Grand Avenue grade separation project and submit findings to the Illinois Commerce Commission for inclusion in its 5-year Crossing Safety Improvement Program.

• Removes previous language prohibiting Illinois Commerce Commission orders from being effective unless federal or state funding was already secured, replacing it with a requirement that the Authority reimburse expenses already incurred from Grade Crossing Protection Fund allocations.