Governor Culver hosts meeting with FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo to discuss passenger rail issues

Updated: February 12, 2010

DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver today hosted a meeting in his Capitol office with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Joseph Szabo to discuss federal support for passenger railroad funding applications submitted by the states of Iowa and Illinois to initiate new passenger rail service from Chicago to Dubuque and Chicago to Iowa City.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Iowa Department of Transportation Director Nancy Richardson and members of her staff, as well as staff members from Administrator Szabo’s office and the offices of First District Congressman Bruce Braley, Second District Congressman Dave Loebsack, Third District Congressman Leonard Boswell and Senator Tom Harkin.

On Jan. 28, the FRA announced that $17.3 million in improvements to an existing Amtrak route in southern Iowa had been funded as well a $1 million planning study, to extend the planned Chicago to Iowa City route on to Des Moines and Omaha. However, no requests for new service to Iowa were funded at that time.

“Iowans were surprised and disappointed to have received notice last month that our applications for the first round of ARRA funding were not approved,” said Governor Culver after the meeting. “I was very encouraged by what I heard from Administrator Szabo today. It is clear that our DOT rail staff has done an exemplary job in working with the Illinois DOT to put together these proposals. I remain as confident as ever that we will see expanded passenger rail service in Iowa.”

The meeting with Administrator Szabo was the result of Governor Culver’s recent calls to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, at which time the Governor urged federal support for new passenger rail service to Dubuque and Iowa City.

Working in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Iowa Department of Transportation took the lead in developing and submitting the application for federal rail funds for the Chicago to Iowa City route; the Illinois DOT was the lead agency on the Chicago to Dubuque funding application.

“We had a very productive meeting with Governor Culver about exciting passenger rail projects here in Iowa,” Administrator Szabo said after the meeting. “We applaud the Governor’s vision and leadership in providing important transportation alternatives for his state.”