Thursday, January 29, 2009

Advocates for Intercity Passenger Rail Call on Congress and President Obama to Increase Funding for Rail in Stimulus Plan

Chicago Union Station, Great Hall

Thursday, January 29th, 12:30 pm

Contacts:

Representative Elaine Nekritz, Chair of the Illinois House Rail Committee

Paris Ervin, Illinois Department of Transportation

Rick Harnish, Midwest High Speed Rail Association

Laura Kliewer, Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

ADVOCATES FOR INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL CALL ON CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR RAIL IN STIMULUS PLAN

Chicago press conference one of several held around the Midwest this week

Participants: Illinois Secretary of Transportation Milt Sees, Representative Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines), Representative Dave Winters (R-Rockford), Representative Al Riley (D-Hazel Crest), Representative Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana), Representative Paul Froehlich (D-Schaumburg), County Board Member Michael Richards (D-Champaign), Rick Harnish of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, Laura Kliewer of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, John O'Brien, United Transportation Union

The economic stimulus plan currently being considered by Congress provides an incredible opportunity to build a modern regional passenger rail network that makes America more energy-efficient, sustainable and prosperous, and while there are encouraging developments in the Senate led by Dick Durbin, the first drafts of the federal stimulus plan miss the mark.

Last night the U.S. House passed its stimulus plan: the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. The bill allocates only $1.1 billion to rail – $800 million to Amtrak and $300 million to state projects to improve intercity rail outside of Amtrak's capital needs. Investing in state projects is the best way to build up the Midwest's intercity passenger rail network.

Unfortunately, $300 million is not nearly enough to build up intercity rail. A much better proposal came from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which recommended a $5 billion total investment in rail: $3.4 billion for state passenger rail projects, $1.5 billion for Amtrak and $100 million for short line railroads.

The Senate Appropriations Committee plan comes closer to the $5 billion mark with $2 billion allocated to high-speed rail corridors, $850 million for Amtrak and $250 million for state investments in intercity rail. The Senate committee-passed plan also creates a discretionary program for larger projects, for which passenger rail projects are eligible.

There is pent-up demand for new and expanded service for intercity passenger rail throughout the Midwest. Passenger rail ridership – especially on shorter, corridor service that would be implemented by the build-out of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative and Ohio Hub plans – has increased dramatically, but federal funding to help build these systems has not followed. Passenger rail is the most energy-efficient means to move people over medium distances (100–600 miles). Increased funding for our states to plan, design and construct these interconnected passenger rail systems would bring tangible benefits to the Midwest, not only creating short- and long-term jobs, but building a new, efficient passenger rail system across the region.

The way to build a regional network is by improving routes and lines in each state. State projects that can be quickly obligated total far more than $5 billion throughout the nation, not to mention the medium-term planning that is necessary to develop new routes.

Midwestern states have been working together for more than 10 years on two plans to bring faster, more-frequent passenger rail service to the region. On behalf of the Midwestern states, the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) has submitted to congressional leaders a list of more than $815 million in projects that could move forward within 120 days. The preliminary environmental work on the entire Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) and Ohio Hub systems could be completed for about $150 million.

The best way to make sure our transportation investments meet our energy policy goals is to invest in intercity rail: we cannot afford to miss this opportunity to create jobs that lead to long-term prosperity through better intercity rail that connects the Midwest.

The Midwest High Speed Rail Association is a membership-based non-profit advocacy organization with more than 2000 members.

The MIPRC is a 10-state interstate compact commission that promotes, coordinates and supports regional improvements to passenger rail service. Member states are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

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Press release -- local leaders call on Congress and President Obama for intercity rail investment

Chicago Union Station, Great Hall
Thursday, January 29th, 12:30 pm

Contacts: Representative Elaine Nekritz, Chair of the Rail Committee
Paris Ervin, Illinois Department of Transportation
Rick Harnish, Midwest High Speed Rail Association
Laura Kliewer, Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

ADVOCATES FOR INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL CALL ON CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR RAIL IN STIMULUS PLAN

Chicago press conference one of several held around the Midwest this week
Participants: Illinois Secretary of Transportation Milt Sees, Representative Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines), Representative Dave Winters (R-Rockford), Representative Al Riley (D-Hazel Crest), Representative Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana), Representative Paul Froehlich (D-Schaumburg), County Board Member Michael Richards (D-Champaign), Rick Harnish of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, Laura Kliewer of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, John O'Brien, United Transportation Union

The economic stimulus plan currently being considered by Congress provides an incredible opportunity to build a modern regional passenger rail network that makes America more energy-efficient, sustainable and prosperous, and while there are encouraging developments in the Senate led by Dick Durbin, the first drafts of the federal stimulus plan miss the mark.

Last night the U.S. House passed its stimulus plan: the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. The bill allocates only $1.1 billion to rail – $800 million to Amtrak and $300 million to state projects to improve intercity rail outside of Amtrak's capital needs. Investing in state projects is the best way to build up the Midwest’s intercity passenger rail network.

Unfortunately, $300 million is not nearly enough to build up intercity rail. A much better proposal came from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which recommended a $5 billion total investment in rail: $3.4 billion for state passenger rail projects, $1.5 billion for Amtrak and $100 million for short line railroads.

The Senate Appropriations Committee plan comes closer to the $5 billion mark with $2 billion allocated to high-speed rail corridors, $850 million for Amtrak and $250 million for state investments in intercity rail. The Senate committee-passed plan also creates a discretionary program for larger projects, for which passenger rail projects are eligible.

There is pent-up demand for new and expanded service for intercity passenger rail throughout the Midwest. Passenger rail ridership – especially on shorter, corridor service that would be implemented by the build-out of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative and Ohio Hub plans – has increased dramatically, but federal funding to help build these systems has not followed. Passenger rail is the most energy-efficient means to move people over medium distances (100–600 miles). Increased funding for our states to plan, design and construct these interconnected passenger rail systems would bring tangible benefits to the Midwest, not only creating short- and long-term jobs, but building a new, efficient passenger rail system across the region.

The way to build a regional network is by improving routes and lines in each state. State projects that can be quickly obligated total far more than $5 billion throughout the nation, not to mention the medium-term planning that is necessary to develop new routes.

Midwestern states have been working together for more than 10 years on two plans to bring
faster, more-frequent passenger rail service to the region. On behalf of the Midwestern states, the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) has submitted to congressional leaders a list of more than $815 million in projects that could move forward within 120 days. The preliminary environmental work on the entire Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) and Ohio Hub systems could be completed for about $150 million.

The best way to make sure our transportation investments meet our energy policy goals is to invest in intercity rail: we cannot afford to miss this opportunity to create jobs that lead to long-term prosperity through better intercity rail that connects the Midwest.

The Midwest High Speed Rail Association is a membership-based non-profit advocacy organization with more than 2000 members.

The MIPRC is a 10-state interstate compact commission that promotes, coordinates and supports regional improvements to passenger rail service. Member states are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Illinois Assembly Bills - Maximize Passenger Rail In Fed Stimulus

Both the Illinois Senate (SR 0019) and House (HR 0030) have resolution bills calling "on Congress and President-Elect Barack Obama to maximize the investment in expanded and improved passenger train service as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan."

State Senator Michael Frerichs and State Representative Elaine Nekritz introduced the bills and are sponsors.

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Act Now - Prevent Transit Cuts And Expand Transit's Future

[Hat tip Sarah Goodyear at Streetsblog]

Transportation for America has created a map of transportation forthcoming "layoffs, service cuts and fare hikes" due to the economy.

Transportation for America Recommends Calling

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (202-225-0100) and
House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey (202-225-3365)

to say Jerry Nadler's amendment adding $3 billion for transit in the stimulus must make it to the House floor. You need to call before Wednesday to make an impact.

You also should Write Now to Support More Mass Transit in the Stimulus Package - a few minutes of your time now can dramatically improve the way we travel through life in the future.

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Stimulating Planning Will Lead To Better Transit Stimulus

Anecdotal evidence suggests that in the rush to maximize transportation stimulus, we may make a longer-term mistake costing current jobs and future opportunities. In my own experience gathering data on "shovel ready" rail projects, I've found that even where needs may be substantial and immediate, the ability to to translate the needs into "shovel ready projects" on extremely short notice isn't always there.

As John Bredin has suggested, it may be smart to fund those 'ready to go' projects that exist and are worthy of funding, provide a bit of time for longer-term funded projects to start (a year?), and recognize that developing good stimulus plans may involve funding planning and the longer-term projects resulting from it.

In order to offer a better idea of the universe of projects ready to go in 2009, next week I plan to post "U.S. Shovel Ready Rail Projects Part II - Starting Within A Year." "Part II" will benefit from a much larger data set than "Part I" - hopefully offering more transit possibilities for thought and action.

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

U.S. Shovel Ready Rail Projects Part I - Starting Within Four Months

As the Obama Administration considers spending hundreds of billions to stimulate the economy, a number of rail supporters, from associations (pdf) to think tank writers to state and congressional policy makers - not to mention the incoming White House, advocate making major investments in rail projects. In December 2008 Transportation For America collected data on transportation "projects ready to go in four months" and "ready to go in one year" - listing almost $20 billion worth of projects. While these projects include bus transit, here in this first post of a series on "Shovel Ready" rail projects, we're using Transportation For America's rail data, augmented with our links, to describe rail projects that could become part of the economic stimulus package. Below is a Google Map showing projects ready to go within four months - click the train icons, and on the upper left hand side of the map the four-way directional movement arrows and the '+' and '-' zoom to manipulate the map (for an easier, full-page view with a legend describing the projects see U.S. Regional Rail Projects Shovel Ready Within Four Months).


View Larger Map

Key Numbers

- Rail Projects Ready To Go Within Four Months
- Total Cost Of Rail Projects: $4,718,700,000
- Covering 17 Different Regions.

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