Funding for Q-C-to-Chicago rail line on the right track, say supporters

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By Kurt Allemeier | Thursday, January 24, 2008 |

Increasing interest in passenger rail service in Illinois has local funding possibilities on the right track, Quad-City legislators said Wednesday.

A feasibility study by the Illinois Department of Transportation recommended a passenger rail route making two round-trips a day between the Quad-Cities, Naperville and Chicago. The proposed route would require $22.7 million in track upgrades and take two years for construction. An additional $4.3 million for train refurbishment is also needed.

“It is a really excellent time to be a passenger rail advocate in Illinois,” Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, said. “One of the challenges is to come up with the money to fund all that, but clearly there is a lot of support for this in the General Assembly.”

Nekritz is chairman of the Railroad Safety Committee.

At a meeting Wednesday, legislators and passenger rail supporters discussed several possible funding opportunities. The Illinois General Assembly is considering a $25 billion capital bill to fund transportation and infrastructure projects.

On the federal level, funding could be requested through the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act that includes a $30 million intercity passenger rail grant program that matches state funding on a 50/50 basis. Also, the Amtrak Reauthorization Act, passed by the Senate in 2007 and awaiting house action, includes a $1.4 billion intercity passenger rail grant program that provides matching state funds on an 80/20 basis with the federal government providing the lion’s share.

Requests also could be included in future transportation appropriations acts. U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, who represents the 1st District that includes the Quad-Cities, serves on the House Transportation Committee.

State legislators felt strongly that some funding for the project could be included in the capital bill and that the matching aspect of the federal programs will help.

“I’m optimistic of the capital bill; the speaker is optimistic on it,” Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, said, “but there is the funding issue.”

The funding may be the biggest stumbling block in passing a capital bill out of Springfield.

“We still don’t have a funding source,” Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said. “At the end of the day, someone still has to pay the bills.”

Downstate legislators may band together to make sure they get a fair share of the capital bill for their districts. Verschoore said they could start voting “present,” rather than “yes” or “no,” to stall action on any other bills that might come up.

“We don’t want to be tough guys, but if we have to, we will,” Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, said.

Part of the sales pitch for funding in Springfield could be what a bargain passenger rail from the Quad-Cities to Chicago would be, Rock Island County Board chairman Jim Bohnsack said. An early estimate on infrastructure improvements was $45 million.

“That $23.7 million is a lot of money, but it is half of what we thought,” he said. “It would be a well-invested hunk of money.”

Jacobs did express a concern about the state subsidizing the rail route, but Nekritz said the state has lowered the subsidy for the St. Louis to Chicago route because ridership has increased by 25 percent in the past year.

“There is a lot of good news in all that,” Nekritz said. “More revenue means a lower subsidy.”

Kurt Allemeier can be contacted at (563) 383-2360 or kallemeier@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.