DeKalb mayor says governor’s office supports plans for Metra in DeKalb.

“Here in the city of DeKalb, education is where we come from, it’s foundational to the success that we’ve had,” Barnes, also an NIU alum, said.

Barnes said NIU has been valuable in the application process for a potential Metra expansion. In January, the DeKalb City Council approved a $98,379contract with Chicago-based Sam Schwartz Consulting LLC for the city to undergo a Metra feasibility study. The city also has taken other steps, including devoting a downtown lot to free parking for those wishing to take the transit bus to Elburn instead of parking at the Elburn train station. Elburn bus trips also have increased in frequency.

“In initial results that we’re getting, this looks like a higher probability that we’re going to have the ridership that we need to make that happen,” Barnes said. “And I know we have the partnership of the governor’s office in order to help drive that commuter rail here because NIU is the only state in the university to not have that.”

To read the full article by the Daily Chronicle, please click on the link City of DeKalb and NIU Governor visits NIU to tout higher ed funding