Editing Rockford, Illinois (section)

==Transportation==
===Roads and highways===
* [[Interstate 39 in Illinois|Interstate 39]]
* [[Interstate 90 in Illinois|Interstate 90]] (Jane Addams Memorial Tollway)
* [[U.S. Route 20 in Illinois|U.S. Route 20]] (Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Highway)
* [[U.S. Route 51 in Illinois|U.S. Route 51]]
* [[Illinois Route 2]] (South/North Main Street)
* [[Illinois Route 70]] (Kilburn Avenue)
* [[Illinois Route 251]] (North Second Street, Kishwaukee Street, Harrison Avenue, 11th Street)

===Bus===
The [[Rockford Mass Transit District]] provides fixed-route and [[paratransit]] service to Rockford, Loves Park, and Machesney Park. The 40 fixed route buses operate over 17 routes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmtd.org/|title=Rockford Mass Transit District|website=www.rmtd.org}}</ref>

[[Greyhound Lines]] and [[Van Galder Bus Company]] provide intercity travel.

=== Bicycle-sharing system ===
In April 2018, Rockford became included in the [[Lime (transportation company)|LimeBike]] bicycle-sharing network.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mystateline.com/news/500-limebikes-to-hit-stateline-streets-saturday-morning/1105513591|title=500 LimeBikes to hit stateline streets Saturday morning|last=Cormier|first=Gregory|date=April 7, 2018|work=MYSTATELINE|access-date=September 11, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Using 500 commuter bicycles supplied by the company, residents rent bicycles through a [[mobile app]], unlocking the dockless bicycles.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.rrstar.com/news/20180406/limebike-rolls-into-rockford-on-saturday|title=LimeBike rolls into Rockford on Saturday|last=Guerrero|first=Isaac|work=Rockford Register Star|access-date=September 11, 2018|language=en}}</ref> Distinguished by their bright green color, LimeBikes are equipped with a basket, lights, and GPS (to locate them for rental); one-speed and three-speed units are in use.<ref name=":0" />

In early 2019, LimeBike was discontinued in Rockford; the company shifted its business model away from bicycles to e-scooters.

===Air===
{{Main|Chicago Rockford International Airport}}
[[File:Main Terminal at Chicago-Rockford Int'l Airport.JPG|thumb|Main terminal at [[Chicago Rockford International Airport]]]]

The first airport serving the Rockford area was Machesney Airport, located north of the city alongside US 51.  Opened in 1927, the airport was initially a private airport; during World War II, it was utilized by the Army Air Corps. After the war, Machesney Airport was opened as a municipal airport. In 1974, the location was closed, becoming the site of the [[Machesney Park Mall]] in 1980.

After [[Camp Grant (Illinois)|Camp Grant]]'s final closure in 1946, the state legislature allowed for the establishment of an airport to serve Rockford, leading to the creation of the Greater Rockford Airport Authority (GRAA). In 1948, the GRAA received a 1500-acre portion of the Camp Grant property between US 51 and the Rock River, located between the southern border of the city and [[New Milford, Illinois|New Milford]].

From the 1950s to 1970s, the Greater Rockford Airport served as a regional airport, with small airlines offering both turboprop and jet service. To further expand passenger service, the current passenger terminal was constructed in 1987. Competing against easy highway access (and bus service) to [[O'Hare International Airport]], the airport struggled for passenger service during the 1990s, leading to the loss of passenger service from 2001 to 2003. Since 2003, the airport has restored passenger service, primarily marketing its location for leisure travelers. Following the closure of several airlines, the location is served by [[Allegiant Air]] as its passenger carrier.  Following a 2005 upgrade, the passenger terminal was expanded in size in 2018.

During the 2000s, the airport underwent several name changes, adopting the current [[Chicago Rockford International Airport]] moniker in 2007. Among the fastest-growing freight airports in the world, full-scale cargo operations began in 1994 as [[UPS Airlines|United Parcel Service]] (UPS) opened an air package hub at the airport next to the terminal. Second only to [[WorldPort (UPS air hub)|Worldport]] in the [[UPS Airlines]] operations, the Rockford UPS hub operates on a separate 50-acre ramp (parking up to 40 aircraft at a time), accommodating up to a Boeing 747-8F.

Next to the UPS facilities, another cargo ramp was built in 2008, intended to attract additional cargo airlines.  In 2016, the facilities were leased by [[ABX Air|ABX]], intending to transfer freight from aircraft to trucks; the operations transitioned into flights for [[Amazon Air]], who partners with ABX, [[Air Transport International|ATI]], and [[Atlas Air]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Braun |first=Georgette |date=September 9, 2016 |title=Boxes with Amazon's logo leave on plane today, marking watershed moment for Rockford airport |url=http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160909/boxes-with-amazons-logo-leave-on-plane-today-marking-watershed-moment-for-rockford-airport |access-date=August 15, 2018 |website=Rockford Register Star }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Guerrero |first=Isaac |date=July 24, 2018 |title=Rockford airport moves up to nation's 22nd busiest cargo airport |url=http://www.rrstar.com/news/20180724/rockford-airport-moves-up-to-nations-22nd-busiest-cargo-airport |access-date=August 15, 2018 |website=Rockford Register Star }}</ref>  The same year, [[AAR Corp]]oration opened an [[Fixed-base operator|FBO]] facility on the southern end of the airport, building hangars large enough to accommodate an [[Airbus A380]]. In 2021, cargo operations were expanded further, as the airport constructed an additional cargo-handling facility and cargo ramp, introducing service by German air cargo company Senator International, contracting 747s by [[Air Atlanta Icelandic]]. In 2022, [[Korean Air Cargo]] introduced cargo service from Seoul to Rockford on 777-300 freighters, becoming the longest flight from the airport.

===Rail===
====Passenger====

For over four decades, the Rockford region has not been served by passenger rail. From 1974 to 1981, Rockford was served by [[Amtrak]] via its [[Black Hawk (Amtrak train)|''Black Hawk'']] route, a daily train service from [[Dubuque, Iowa]] to [[Union Station (Chicago)|Union Station]] in [[Chicago]] with a stop in Rockford. The ''Black Hawk'' was discontinued in September 1981 as part of funding cuts to Amtrak.

During the 2000s, interest increased in relinking the Rockford and Chicago regions by rail. In 2006, the [[Northern Illinois Commuter Transportation Initiative]] proposed extending [[Metra]] train service from the western Chicago suburbs to Rockford.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.rrstar.com/belvidere/x914621510 | title=All aboard? Commuter rail could take 3 to 5 years | work=[[Rockford Register Star]] | date=April 30, 2008 | first=Thomas V | last=Bona | access-date=April 30, 2008}}{{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> During the early 2010s, there was design work on a planned 2015 revival of the ''Black Hawk'' route on [[Canadian National]] rails,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://members.trainorders.com/dr04/BlackHawk/|title=Amtrak Black Hawk|access-date=July 16, 2012}}</ref> with Rockford as the initial terminus. As part of the ongoing Illinois financial crisis, state funding for the ''Black Hawk'' revival was suspended in February 2015, putting the project on hold.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-plan-for-amtrak-service-from-chicago-to-rockford-on-hold-20150209-story.html|title=Plan for Amtrak service from Chicago to Rockford on hold|agency=Associated Press|work=chicagotribune.com|access-date=July 17, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> The service was later funded in 2019 with the support of [[J. B. Pritzker|Governor J.B. Pritzker]]. In 2023, it was announced that Metra would provide service to Rockford as an extension of the [[Milwaukee District West Line]], with twice-daily service in each direction beginning in 2027.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schobinger |first1=Meghan |title=Metra to bring rail service to Rockford, Belvidere in 2027 |url=https://www.wifr.com/2023/07/06/metra-bring-rail-service-rockford-belvidere-2027/ |access-date=July 6, 2023 |work=[[WIFR-LD]] |date=July 6, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Neveau |first1=James |title=Metra to restore rail service between Rockford, Chicago for first time in 40 years |url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/metra-to-restore-rail-service-between-rockford-chicago-for-first-time-in-40-years/3181232/ |access-date=July 6, 2023 |work=NBC Chicago |date=July 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gov. Pritzker Announces Partnership with Metra to Restore Chicago-Rockford Passenger Rail Service |url=https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.26687.html |website=www.illinois.gov |access-date=July 6, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago to Rockford {{!}} Illinois Passenger Rail |url=http://www.chicagotorockfordrail.org/ |website=www.chicagotorockfordrail.org |date=July 6, 2023}}</ref>

====Freight====
Rockford is served by several different freight railroad lines, the [[Union Pacific]], the [[Canadian National]], the [[Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad|Iowa, Chicago & Eastern]] ([[Canadian Pacific]]), and the [[Illinois Railway]]. The Union Pacific line from [[West Chicago]] terminates in Rockford at a small yard.

The Canadian National line from [[Addison, Illinois|Addison]] enters from the Southeast and leaves in the Northwest. They have a small yard where they interchange with the [[Illinois Railway]]. The [[Illinois Railway]] Rockford Line comes from the South, joins the Canadian National line, where they continue on [[trackage rights]] to the Canadian National yard. Canadian Pacific (Iowa, Chicago, and Eastern) runs on Illinois Railway trackage rights from Davis Junction, and leaves on their own trackage to the North. All of the railroads interchange at a yard off of Main Street.

The Union Pacific Railroad's Global III Intermodal Facility is approximately {{convert|25|mi|km|0}} south of Rockford in [[Rochelle, Illinois]], a community of 10,000. The complex is one of the world's largest [[intermodal freight transport|intermodal]] facilities.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}} Construction on the state-of-the-art facility was completed in 2003 in Rochelle due to the close proximity to four interstate highways (I-39, I-88, I-80, and I-90) and rail routes.