ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Plans for passenger rail service’s return to Rockford keep rolling along.

The Illinois Department of Transportation held a meeting on Tuesday at Veterans Memorial Hall to answer questions about the project. It’s a chance for community members to weigh in on the development and pick the brains of project team members.

When completed, the rail service will connect Rockford to Chicago, with stations located in Rockford, Belvidere, Huntley, Elgin and Chicago. A proposed stop in Marengo is also under review.

The service hopes to travel into Union Station while “working on coordinating with the other four communities about location of the station, design, and so on.” It would be the first service to connect the cities since 1981, when Amtrak was still in service.

Those talks are expected to begin this fall, while construction is projected to take place from 2025 to 2027, when the service will begin.

To check on the project’s updates and voice comments or concerns online, visit the project’s website here.