Illinois General Assembly creates commission for high-speed rail Commission will be tasked with developing a statewide plan for a high-speed rail line connecting St. Louis and Chicago June 09, 2021 / 2 minute read The Illinois legislature passed a bill that would create a High-Speed Railway Commission in the state. It would be tasked with developing a “statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois, that includes current existing Amtrak and Metra services; connects the cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur; and uses inter-city bus service to coordinate with the rail line.” “The commission will provide a forum that the Illinois Department of Transportation can use to go from its current wish-list of projects to a true, statewide plan,” Rick Harnish, executive director of the High Speed Rail Alliance (HSRA), said in a statement. “HSRA has been an advocate for creating this commission for more than three years. This is a major step forward for our alliance and for the nation.”