Durbin and Midwest Senators Urge President to Consider Recovery Act Funding for Midwest Rail
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a group of Senators from Midwestern states in urging President Barack Obama to consider investing funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in rail corridors in the Midwest. The Recovery Act designates $8 billion to high speed passenger rail – a significant investment which is 17 times more funding than the federal government has invested over the last 10 years combined.
“We believe the Midwest rail system offers the greatest opportunity for your Administration to enhance mobility, reduce reliance on foreign oil, lessen congestion and provide steady employment in a region hard hit by job loss,” the Senators wrote. “Our states have already completed careful planning and made significant investments to modernize our existing passenger rail system. The Midwest rail system, with Chicago as its hub, could provide 3,000 miles of high speed rail service and serve 90 percent of the 60.3 million people living in its nine-state region.”
Senators signing on to today’s letter include: Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roland Burris (D-IL), Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Carl Levin (D-MI).
Last month, Durbin met with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, the Chairman of the Amtrak Board of Directors, Tom Carper, and state leaders to discuss Illinois’ commitment to fighting for and winning the federal dollars needed to make high-speed rail in Illinois a reality, pointing to the Chicago to St. Louis line as the state’s premier route and top priority. On Thursday, Durbin organized a meeting with the Illinois Delegation and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood on Illinois’ preparation to receive Recovery Act funding for the state’s transportation system including, high-speed rail. During both meetings, Illinois leaders also discussed the efforts to extend new service from Chicago to Rockford and the Quad Cities.
[Text of the letter below]
April 3, 2009
Barack Obama
President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama:
Thank you for your leadership on high speed rail. The $8 billion dedicated to high speed passenger rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is 17 times more funding than the federal government has invested over the last 10 years combined. This critical early investment, in conjunction with an additional billion dollars per year you intend to include in annual budgets, will fundamentally reshape our national transportation system.
We write to encourage serious consideration of the Midwest rail system as decisions are made about corridors to receive High Speed Rail funding. We recognize there is pent-up demand for new and expanded service for intercity high speed passenger rail throughout the country, but we believe the rail corridors in the Midwest provide the best opportunity to develop a regionally integrated, nationally significant high speed rail system.
The Midwest is well positioned to utilize high speed rail funding. Our states have already completed careful planning and made significant investments to modernize our existing passenger rail system. The Midwest rail system, with Chicago as its hub, could provide 3,000 miles of high speed rail service and serve 90 percent of the 60.3 million people living in its nine-state region. A significant federal investment into this region could create a rail system that could carry nearly as much traffic as regional air service.
The Midwest also offers an opportunity for the federal government to provide both short-term economic stimulus and a sustained source of economic growth in the region. The Federal Railroad Administration’s studies show the highest level of economic benefit associated with rail investment anywhere in the U.S. outside of the Northeast Corridor is in the Midwest. A study completed by our states reinforced the Administration’s findings, showing $1.70 return on every dollar invested in Midwest High Speed Rail.
We believe the Midwest rail system offers the greatest opportunity for your Administration to enhance mobility, reduce reliance on foreign oil, lessen congestion and provide steady employment in a region hard hit by job loss.
Thank you for your consideration of our request. We stand ready to assist you in further developing a world-class intercity passenger rail system.
Sincerely,