Third Street Rail Corridor Redevelopment (The Link)

At a glance

Based on official auto-captions; names and figures may be misheard.

What: Once the Third Street tracks move to the 10th Street corridor (target: end of 2027), the vacated corridor is planned to become a multi-use trail and plaza corridor called the Link, tying into the Wabash and Inner Urban trails, the Capitol area and the state fairgrounds.
Where it stands: A consultant presented the plan on November 4, 2026. About 60 percent of the rail relocation is complete. Construction funding exists for the North Street segment (about $3.1 million from the state transportation department) and a grant application of about $3.3 million was filed for the Eighth Street segment.
Next: An ordinance for engineering on the Eighth Street and Sangamon Avenue segment could reach first reading as soon as the next Council meeting. An update on the 19th Street corridor is expected in December.

Presentation on the relocation schedule, funding and design concepts, including plaza areas near the Dana Thomas House and Adams Street, a raised Capitol Avenue bridge and a rail-history feature at the Amtrak station. The first public meeting's top comment was to get it implemented and keep it maintained. Council members asked about the North Grand underpass (tentatively open to traffic January to February) and welcomed the 19th Street track repairs.