tamatoledonews.com – DES MOINES (SPECIAL) – Governor Chet Culver has announced that the Iowa Transportation Commission approved programming up to $1 million in support of the Chicago to Omaha planning study for passenger rail in Iowa. The funds will be used to provide the required state match for the $1 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration under the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program.

“(The) funding approval is an important step in advancing toward a 21st century transportation infrastructure for Iowa,” Culver said. “I am committed to bringing high-speed passenger rail to our state, and I look forward to continuing to work with our state and federal partners to make it happen.”

The purpose of the planning study is to evaluate and further develop proposed passenger rail service from Chicago to Omaha. The planning study will include identification of a preferred route through this heavily populated corridor, completion of environmental studies, evaluation of ridership potential, preparation of preliminary engineering plans, preparation of cost estimates for capital expenditures and estimation of costs for the operation of service. The completion of this planning study will position Iowa to be eligible to apply for future federal funding opportunities for passenger rail service expansion.

Iowa Code section 327J established the Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund. Monies deposited into the fund shall be used to pay the costs associated with the initiation, operation and maintenance of passenger rail service. In state fiscal year 2010, $3 million was appropriated to the fund through I-JOBS legislation.

I-JOBS, the Culver/Judge Administration’s infrastructure investment initiative, is intended to strengthen Iowa’s economy, help our state recover from the natural disasters of 2008, preserve or create thousands of jobs, and improve Iowa’s transportation infrastructure. For more information, visit www.ijobsiowa.gov .

For information specific to the I-JOBS transportation infrastructure programs and projects, visit the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Web site .