Editing DeKalb, Illinois (section)

==Transportation==
[[File:DeKalb IL aerial.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of DeKalb, with airport (center)]]

===Railway===
The first [[DeKalb station|railroad]] entered DeKalb on August 22, 1853. In 1864, the line became part of the [[Chicago and North Western Railway]] main line from Chicago to Omaha, which carried passengers until 1971. A [[DeKalb station|depot]] between 6th and 7th Streets was built in 1891. The [[Union Pacific Railroad]] took control of the line in 1995. Since 2006, the nearest passenger rail service is at the [[Metra]] commuter system station in [[Elburn station|Elburn]], {{convert|15|mi|km}} east of DeKalb, which is accessible by bus. In January 2023, the Dekalb City Council voted to fund a transportation study aimed at determining feasibility of extending Metra [[Union Pacific West Line]] commuter rail service from Elburn to the city.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/dekalb-ill-funds-study-on-possible-metra-service/ | title=DeKalb, Ill., funds study on possible Metra service | date=January 14, 2023 }}</ref> In May 2023, the initial key facts of the feasibility study were published, which showed that an extension to Dekalb was feasible based on commuter and daily ridership estimates.<ref>[https://www.cityofdekalb.com/DocumentCenter/View/15975/5-Commuter-Rail-Comp-Stdy DeKalb Metra Extension Feasibility Study]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/2023/05/31/annual-metra-operational-costs-could-range-from-82m-to-128m-for-dekalb-feasibility-study-shows/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531114033/https://www.shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/2023/05/31/annual-metra-operational-costs-could-range-from-82m-to-128m-for-dekalb-feasibility-study-shows/ | archive-date=May 31, 2023 | title=Annual Metra operational costs could range from $8.2M to $12.8M for DeKalb, feasibility study shows – Shaw Local }}</ref> In 2024, Dekalb backed a regional feasibility study by federal officials to revive [[Amtrak]] service that ran as the [[Twin Cities Zephyr]], the service was discontinued in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-27 |title=DeKalb County Board backs regional Amtrak feasibility study |url=https://www.shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/2024/03/27/dekalb-county-board-backs-regional-amtrak-feasibility-study/ |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Shaw Local |language=en}}</ref>

===Road===
The transcontinental [[Lincoln Highway]] was established through DeKalb in 1913. The first [[Lincoln Highway#Seedling miles and the ideal section|"seedling mile"]] of concrete pavement was built in 1914 at [[Malta, Illinois|Malta]], six miles west of DeKalb. The rest of Lincoln Highway across DeKalb County was paved in 1920.<ref name=oxen />{{rp|16}} The highway is now part of [[Illinois Route 38]]. The main north–south highway through DeKalb is [[Illinois Route 23]], which forms an unusual intersection of two state highways and a major railroad at the corner of Fourth and Lincoln. [[Interstate 88 (Illinois)|Interstate Highway 88]], part of the [[Illinois State Toll Highway Authority|Illinois Tollway]] system, was completed to DeKalb around 1975 and passes just south of town, where there are two toll plazas and a service oasis that includes restaurants and a gas station. Via the tollway, DeKalb is {{convert|30|mi}} west of [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]] and {{convert|65|mi}} west of downtown [[Chicago]].

===Bus===
Scheduled local bus service throughout the DeKalb area is provided by [[DeKalb Public Transit]], a joint effort by the city in partnership with Northern Illinois University.<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Transit |url=https://www.cityofdekalb.com/1283/DeKalb-Public-Transit |website=City of DeKalb |access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> Routes extend through the university, the city, and [[Sycamore, Illinois|Sycamore]] with extensions west to Kishwaukee College and east to the passenger rail station at Elburn.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transit Resource Guide |url=https://www.cityofdekalb.com/1324/Transit-Resource-Guide |website=City of DeKalb |access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> Schedules on the main routes vary depending on whether the university is in session. The system began in 1971 as the Huskie Bus Line under contract to the NIU Student Association.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Embrey |first1=Michael |title=DeKalb's Huskie Bus Line transportation system was born (1971) |url=https://dekalbcountyonline.com/dekalbs-huskie-bus-line-transportation-system-was-born-1971/ |website=DeKalb County Online |access-date=13 March 2021 |date=22 September 2020}}</ref> By 1982 the system served 3 million riders per year, second only in Illinois to the [[Chicago Transit Authority]]. In 2018, it merged with a smaller City of DeKalb bus system, which had been operated by the local [[Voluntary Action Center]] (VAC).<ref>{{cite web |title=Voluntary Action Center |url=https://vacdk.com/ |access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> Paratransit operations were added in 2021, also by transfer from VAC.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paratransit |url=https://www.cityofdekalb.com/1259/Paratransit |website=City of DeKalb |access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> VAC continues to serve a wider surrounding area with on-demand transportation for people with special needs and to out-of-town medical appointments.<ref>{{cite web |title=About MedVAC/TransVAC in DeKalb County |url=http://vacdk.com/about-dialaride/ |website=Voluntary Action Center |access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>

===Airport===
[[DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport]] (DTMA) {{airport codes||KDKB|DKB}}, serving the [[general aviation]] community, is on the east side of the city at 3232 Pleasant Street. The airport opened in April 1944 in association with a factory making [[Interstate TDR]] assault drone aircraft. The city took ownership in 1948. There is no commercial service directly to DeKalb, but the city center is 43.43 miles away from [[O'Hare International Airport]] in [[Chicago]], making commercial air access relatively easy.