The parent company of the Great Lakes Basin Railroad submitted an application to the federal Surface Transportation Board Monday.
The project would create a 261-mile railway that runs between Milton, Wis., and Pinola, Ind., passing through six Illinois counties. It's meant to bypass congested Chicago freight lines.
Company President Frank Haney previously asked the STB to delay an environmental review in December and February so it could gather enough material to properly submit an application. That process now begins, although the Rockford Register Star reportsU.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger doubts whether rail companies would choose to use GLBR over existing lines.
You can find out more about the Great Lakes Basin Railroad through our Down The Line series.