ROCHELLE, Ill., Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, representatives from the City of Rochelle, IL, along with state transportation officials, local economic partners, railroad, and trucking industries, celebrated the expansion of the City of Rochelle Intermodal Transload Center (RITC).
Located at the intersection of Interstate Highways 88 and 39 and Class I railroads operated by BNSF and Union Pacific, the City of Rochelle Railroad and the RITC provide a location where industries of all sizes can access direct rail services, whether or not they have rail at their company location.
Opened in 2020 as a joint effort between the City of Rochelle and the Greater Rochelle Economic Development Corporation, the facility transloaded one thousand railcars and served as a staging area for hundreds of shipping containers used by a dozen customers. Increased demand for rail-to-truck transloading and third-party logistics services in the Rochelle area are requiring the expansion of RITC.
Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows stated, “Today’s expansion of the Rochelle Intermodal Transload Center is a testament to our city’s commitment to economic growth and regional connectivity. We are proud to be a hub where industries of all sizes can thrive, and this project reflects our continued investment in the future of Rochelle as a critical logistics and transportation center in the Midwest.”
City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh added, “The success and rapid growth of the RITC demonstrate how strategic infrastructure investments can unlock opportunities for both local businesses and global supply chains. We are excited to see this expansion come to life, and we remain focused on providing the support and resources companies need to move goods efficiently and reliably through Rochelle. The City of Rochelle is proud to partner with the Illinois Department of Transportation and grateful for the available funding, through the rail freight program, which provides needed infrastructure enhancements such as this.”
“We continue to be excited about future growth in Rochelle, IL and how we can benefit the community and companies,” says Peter Hoth, Principal-Corporate Development at BJRY. “Our customers and Class I railroad partners are essential to that growth. We are dedicated to continuing providing our ‘white glove’ rail switching services to our customers and transload partners through the City of Rochelle Railroad.”
“This expansion will not only help unlock economic potential in Rochelle, but it becomes an important asset for the movement of freight in Illinois, the transportation hub of North America,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “We are proud to have helped see this project to fruition through a grant from our Illinois Competitive Freight Program, which is increasing safety, improving reliability in the nation’s supply chain and boosting commerce at the community level throughout the state.”
About the City of Rochelle
Since the arrival of two western transcontinental railroads in the late 1850’s, Rochelle has been the hub of rail and highway systems west of Chicago. Rochelle is ideally located to meet the needs of corporate America with global ties. Located at the intersection of the north-south Interstate 39 (I-39 Distribution Corridor) and the east-west Interstate 88 (Illinois Research and Development Corridor), Rochelle is within one day’s truck drive to markets that serve over eighty million Americans. Rochelle has four interstate interchanges within four miles of the City’s boundaries. Advanced communication systems, including city-owned broadband, global communication, excess capacity for water and wastewater services, and locally provided electricity and sewer, gives business and industry a strategic advantage.
About IDOT
Each day, IDOT strives to ensure that destinations are reached in the safest, quickest, easiest, and most comfortable and cost-effective manner. IDOT strives to strengthen, maintain, and expand the Illinois transportation system, all while considering trends in the transportation industry, population, freight demands, mobility needs, safety factors, interconnectivity, corporate needs, and housing development.
About BJRY
Based in Burlington, IA, the Burlington Junction Railway has been in operation since 1985 providing flexible and reliable shipping and receiving services by rail. It manages a wide variety of commodities such as wallboard, lumber, bulk liquids, dry bulk, machinery, steel rebar, specialty oversize shipments, and many more. Its specialty services include switching, transloading, and locomotive servicing. For more information, visit www.bjryrail.com.
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SOURCE City of Rochelle, IL
