Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition | Obama Funding Strategy

President Obama Announces Passenger Rail Funding Strategy
President Barack Obama is joined by Vice President Joe Biden, US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, and others to announce his passenger rail strategic plan. View President Obama's Vision for High Speed Rail in America Quick Facts Chicago-Quad Cities Amtrak Route Cost: $22.7 million Distance: 160 miles from Chicago to the Quad Cities Ridership: 110,800 annually Job Growth: 550-825 jobs Economic Growth: 11-$16 million increase in household income $52-$75 million boost in local property values Additional benefits are expected by extending the corridor from the Quad Cities to Iowa City, Des Moines, and Omaha.	The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition is optimistic about future of the Quad Cities-Chicago Amtrak route after President Barack Obama released his passenger rail strategic funding plan on Thursday, April 16^th. “QC Rail has been actively positioning the Quad Cities for state and federal funding,” said Paul Rumler, Executive Director of the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition. “The $8 billion dedicated for passenger rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was an important paradigm shift in how Americans view the future of transportation. Today marks a new milestone for the reality of passenger rail. President Obama presented a funding strategy for a comprehensive national passenger rail system that includes intercity and high speed rail service. QC Rail is eager to continue its efforts to ensure the Chicago to Quad Cities Amtrak route receives funding as part of that plan.” The President’s “Vision for High-Speed Rail in America” plans to invest “in an efficient, high-speed passenger rail network of 100-600 mile intercity corridors that connect communities across America. In what is intended to be a long-term commitment, the strategic plan emphasizes directing funding that will result in “tangible benefits to intercity rail infrastructure, equipment, performance, and intermodal connections over the next several years, while also creating a ‘pipeline’ of projects to enable future corridor development.” The strategy outlined funding for 1) Individual rail projects (like the Quad Cities) that are “ready to go,” 2) Corridor programs to develop entire phases or geographic section of corridor programs, and 3) Planning activities to create a pipeline of projects to complete a fully developed rail network. "The Quad Cities has come a long way in the past couple years,” explained Paul Rumler. “With the completion of the Amtrak feasibility report in 2008, ongoing plans for the Quad Cities Amtrak Station, and a recent $475,000 federal appropriation, the Quad Cities-Chicago Amtrak route is well positioned to receive ARRA funding based on the merits of the route.” “The President and Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to stimulate economic and job growth nationwide. The Quad Cities Amtrak route is a project that will have an immediate impact, while forever transforming and benefiting the region’s economy and transportation system. This is a major reason why the Quad Cities continues to receive strong and active support from our state legislators and Congressional Delegation. We thank everyone involved in this project and ask for their continued support.” The President and U.S. Secretary of Transportation plan to release application guidelines by June 17^th, with funding made available to passenger rail projects by the end of summer 2009.

President Obama Announces Passenger Rail Funding Strategy

President Barack Obama is joined by Vice President Joe Biden, US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, and others to announce his passenger rail strategic plan.

View President Obama's Vision for High Speed Rail in America

Quick Facts

Chicago-Quad Cities Amtrak Route

Cost: $22.7 million

Distance: 160 miles from Chicago to the Quad Cities

Ridership: 110,800 annually

Job Growth: 550-825 jobs

Economic Growth:

11-$16 million increase in household income

$52-$75 million boost in local property values

Additional benefits are expected by extending the corridor from the Quad Cities to Iowa City, Des Moines, and Omaha.

The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition is optimistic about future of the Quad Cities-Chicago Amtrak route after President Barack Obama released his passenger rail strategic funding plan on Thursday, April 16^th.

“QC Rail has been actively positioning the Quad Cities for state and federal funding,” said Paul Rumler, Executive Director of the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition. “The $8 billion dedicated for passenger rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was an important paradigm shift in how Americans view the future of transportation. Today marks a new milestone for the reality of passenger rail. President Obama presented a funding strategy for a comprehensive national passenger rail system that includes intercity and high speed rail service. QC Rail is eager to continue its efforts to ensure the Chicago to Quad Cities Amtrak route receives funding as part of that plan.”

The President’s “Vision for High-Speed Rail in America” plans to invest “in an efficient, high-speed passenger rail network of 100-600 mile intercity corridors that connect communities across America. In what is intended to be a long-term commitment, the strategic plan emphasizes directing funding that will result in “tangible benefits to intercity rail infrastructure, equipment, performance, and intermodal connections over the next several years, while also creating a ‘pipeline’ of projects to enable future corridor development.”

The strategy outlined funding for 1) Individual rail projects (like the Quad Cities) that are “ready to go,” 2) Corridor programs to develop entire phases or geographic section of corridor programs, and 3) Planning activities to create a pipeline of projects to complete a fully developed rail network.

"The Quad Cities has come a long way in the past couple years,” explained Paul Rumler. “With the completion of the Amtrak feasibility report in 2008, ongoing plans for the Quad Cities Amtrak Station, and a recent $475,000 federal appropriation, the Quad Cities-Chicago Amtrak route is well positioned to receive ARRA funding based on the merits of the route.”

“The President and Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to stimulate economic and job growth nationwide. The Quad Cities Amtrak route is a project that will have an immediate impact, while forever transforming and benefiting the region’s economy and transportation system. This is a major reason why the Quad Cities continues to receive strong and active support from our state legislators and Congressional Delegation. We thank everyone involved in this project and ask for their continued support.”

The President and U.S. Secretary of Transportation plan to release application guidelines by June 17^th, with funding made available to passenger rail projects by the end of summer 2009.