Ribbon-cutting set for $4.1M Lincoln train depot renovation

LINCOLN, Ill. (AP) - A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled to officially re-open the renovated historic $4.1 million Lincoln Station in downtown Lincoln on Tuesday morning.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports that site plans show that the original 1911 depot has been fully renovated and retains historic character and details. The north freight building has been renovated to be the new passenger rail station for Amtrak patrons to use. The project also includes new parking lots, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping.

Funding for the project came from a federal High Speed Rail Initiative grant administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The newspaper reports that about 450,000 people travel through the central Illinois city each year on the train.

Lincoln Mayor Seth Goodman calls the station "a great addition for Lincoln."

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Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com