DOT leader assures lawmakers rail money is not in danger

DES MOINES - Iowa's transportation chief assured a Senate panel Wednesday that the state is not in jeopardy of losing federal funding for a proposed passenger rail expansion to Iowa City.

“We're still in the queue. We're taking the right steps and we're doing the right things,” said Paul Trombino, director of the state Department of Transportation.

Trombino noted that the project is proceeding in Illinois. Iowa, meanwhile, is conducting a study of passenger rail service connecting Chicago to Omaha via the central Iowa line.

Trombino said the “tier one” environmental study will put Iowa in a better position to assess potential costs and whether the system would require ongoing public subsidies to supplement rider revenue. He said he has spoken regularly with federal rail officials and they have agreed to split the Illinois and Iowa portions. Iowa will have 12-18 months to complete its assessment - a process that will include public hearings that likely will begin sometime this spring.

Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, told Trombino he was concerned about the signal Iowa was sending with its inaction. He said he worried federal transportation officials would pull the plug on $87 million that has been earmarked for the Iowa passenger rail leg.

However, Trombino said the Federal Rail Administration officials he has talked with have been “very supportive” of Iowa's in-depth study.