Ideal may be an over used word but it well describes Rock Island’s location and transportation assets. Located in the southwest "corner" of the Quad Cities area in western Illinois on the Mississippi River, 165 miles west of Chicago and midway between Minneapolis and St. Louis, the city provides easy access to other major Midwestern towns. The perfect location is one of the main reasons why so many trucking and distribution companies have chosen Rock Island as the city to call home. The Mississippi and Rock Rivers converge at the City of Rock Island.

Rock Island’s strategic location makes it accessible via land, air and water. The 30 mile corridor of the Mississippi running through the Quad Cities is called the "RiverWay." In the last decade, efforts have been underway to redevelop the river’s edge in the RiverWay region following guidelines of the Quad City Waterfront Master Plan. Businesses, developers, artists, conservationists, and citizens are working together to help preserve the natural resource of the Mississippi River and enhance the riverfront as a vibrant center of tourism and commerce.

U.S. Highway 67 runs north and south near the city’s western border from the Mississippi River. It intersects I-280 on the west side of Rock Island. The Centennial and Arsenal Bridges connect Rock Island to Davenport, IA. State Routes 5 and 92 run west through Moline, which then connects to I-80 and I-88. Several other interstates, federal and state highways run through and around the Quad Cities.

Freight rail transportation is provided by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, I&M RailLink and the Iowa Interstate Railroad. Rock Island and the Quad Cities is served by the Quad City International Airport in Moline, offering flights by Air Tran, Northwest, TWA, United Airlines and others. Ground transportation services are available from the airport to Rock Island by calling (309) 757-1531.

More than half of the 35 local barge terminals on the Mississippi River are served by rail and interstate highway for convenient transportation of goods to and from Rock Island. The Quad Cities is a U.S. Customs Port of Entry and a designated Foreign Trade Zone in both Illinois and Iowa. The smaller Rock River, which flows south and then west to the Mississippi at Rock Island, is navigable for recreation only.

Transportation is available within the City of Rock Island with MetroLINK’s fixed route bus system. Six MetroLINK routes serve Rock Island with connection to the rest of the Illinois Quad Cities and the City of Davenport, IA. Public transportation works with the City to address the changing needs of Rock Island and offers mass transit alternatives to improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion and conserve energy. For more information on fixed route bus service for the City, call (309) 788-3360.

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