Thanks to a lot of cooperation and advanced planning between local and state officials, detours and congestion are being reduced to a minimum during the multi-year reconstruction of Interstate 74 that intersects Peoria and pulls together the area. Overpasses were among the first immediate and noticeable alterations as work got underway in 2002. We are witnessing the rebuilding of the 40-year-old interstate that is one of the heaviest traveled sections in the state. 

Though we ask you to pardon our dust for now, this new $400 million interstate project will be and has already proven to be an economic spark for the region. When completed in a few years, we will have a modern and expanded roadway that will enhance the Peoria area’s reputation as a great place to do business for many years to come. In addition to easier access, look for better lighting and more attractive landscaping to be part of the total package. 

The Peoria area offers a myriad of roadways connecting communities and visitors whether traveling for business or pleasure. Several of these state highways have been enhanced in recent years to improve drive time and comfort.

If you choose to travel by plane, all aboard at the Greater Peoria Regional Airport! Considered one of the busiest downstate airports, it plays host to several airlines — Alligiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines and United Airlines — that offer about 40 daily flights in and out of the busy airport. About 3,300 individuals are employed by the airport and its tenants.

The facility has undergone a major facelift recently with a renovated gift shop and restaurant, plus the addition of one of the longest runways in the state to meet the growing and diverse needs of the region. Free parking has been a major boom to ridership figures and a part of the overall improved passenger satisfaction levels. In addition, the airport continues to serve as a major hub of airfreight with thousands of tons transported in and out of the facility every month.

Add to the transportation mix numerous trucking firms that call Peoria home and the nearly dozen railroads that bring goods to the region and carry the area’s unique products around the world. The venerable Illinois River continues to serve as a vital mode of transportation and source of commerce for industry and the diverse agricultural community. The Peoria Charter Coach Co. offers bus transportation to points around the country, whether for business or pleasure.

CityLink takes care of the local transportation needs of our residents to get them to work or to their favorite shopping spots. The mass transit system, which includes a variety of bus sizes to meet the unique demands of the community, has continued to expand. Visible evidence of that growth are the long-awaited transit hub, with a YWCA-run child care center on site, just completed in downtown Peoria across from the Peoria Civic Center.

This unique site, set to open in late summer 2003, will put Peoria on the map in meeting the community’s transportation and childcare needs. This huge structure includes a climate-controlled waiting area and a YWCA of Peoria sponsored day care center accommodating 80 children. 

Peoria can’t be beat when it comes to meeting the modern transportation needs of our residents and visitors, combining creativity and solution-based innovation.