Boswell Encourages Amtrak To Study Feasibility Of Rail Service To Des Moines

Press Release

Today, in a letter to Amtrak President Joseph H. Boardman, Representative Leonard Boswell, a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, requested that Amtrak extend their feasibility study on extending passenger rail service from Chicago to Omaha via Des Moines.

In his letter Boswell wrote, "Amtrak initially conducted a feasibility study to resume passenger rail service between Chicago and the Quad Cities, and then extended the study to include Iowa City. An important component of the MWRRI plan is the extension of this route from Iowa City to Des Moines and continuing to Omaha. …There is considerable interest in expanding the study to include expanded service to Des Moines and Omaha."

"With the potential existing and future federal transportation funding options available for these types of regional passenger rail projects, completing this feasibility study as soon as possible is a critical step to move this important priority project forward," added Boswell.

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