Harkin lends support to IC-Chicago passenger rail

CORALVILLE - Sen. Tom Harkin threw his weight behind efforts to develop an Iowa City to Chicago passenger rail connection Saturday.

That effort has been given new energy by recent increases in Amtrak's budget and $8 billion for passenger rail included in recent federal stimulus legislation. Also, the Iowa Legislature appropriated $3 million appropriation to passenger rail service in Iowa.

Harkin cautioned that it's too early to know how the federal funds will be distributed, "but we're hopeful we can get that line from here to Chicago."

"We're doing what we can to be helpful," he said at a meeting sponsored by the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce at the Coralville Public Library. "We've got our oar in the water."

The chamber is leading a lobbying effort on behalf of the Iowa City to Chicago passenger rail service - dubbed the Chicago Flyer, which would be an extension of a Chicago-Quad Cities route under study by the state of Illinois. The proposal's prospects are boosted

The Iowa City to Chicago connection would have "tremendous value" for the community, said Coralville Mayor Jim Fausett. Not only would it benefit the large number of Chicago area University of Iowa students, but area residents who want to visit Chicago for shopping, recreation or other reasons. For people who don't drive, he added, it opens up possibilities not available with current bus service.

"Economically, we think it would be a real boost," Fausett said.

The key to leveraging the federal funds is the $3 million the state appropriated for the Iowa Passenger Rail Fund in the 2010 budget, which can be used toward the state's share of the Iowa City-Chicago service's startup costs. It's the first such appropriation the Iowa DOT has made in Amtrak's 38-year history, according to Nancy Richardson, director of the Iowa Department of Transportation.

A feasibility study released in early 2008 outlined a proposal for two trains each way daily between Iowa City and Chicago. Operating at 79 mph, the service would draw more than 76,000 passengers a year on the Quad Cities-Iowa City leg. It would be a 98-minute segment of a five-hour Chicago-Iowa City service.

It's estimated that upgrading tracks and signal systems, renovating coaches, hiring and training crews, and other start-up costs could run up to $54.9 million. The annual operating subsidy, to be shared by the two states, is estimated at $6 million to $7.2 million.

Despite the increased activity and the possibility of new funding, Fausett, like Harkin, said it may be too early to know whether the campaign will be successful. On an optimism scale of one to 10, he's at a five, Fausett said.