The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

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The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

• Bringing Together State Leaders From Across the
  Region to Advocate for Passenger Rail Improvements

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Introduction

• How and why was the MIPRC developed?
• State legislators interest
• Input from many other groups
• Success of Northeast governors
• The Midwest needs a unified voice to advocate at
  the federal, state and local levels for frequent,
  convenient, cost-effective passenger rail service

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Purpose

• The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail
  Compact's primary purpose is to promote,
  coordinate and support regional improvements to
  passenger rail

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• Promote development and implementation of
  improvements and long-range plans for intercity
  passenger rail service in the Midwest
• Coordinate interaction among Midwestern state
  officials, and among the public and private
  sector at all levels (federal, state and local)
• Support current state efforts being conducted
  through state DOTs

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Compact Eligibility

• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Michigan
• Minnesota

• Missouri
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• South Dakota
• Wisconsin

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Current Membership

• Indiana
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• North Dakota
• Ohio

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Appointments to the MIPRC

• Governor or his/her designee
• Private sector appointment (by governor)
• Legislator from each chamber

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But Why Promote Passenger Rail?

• Isnt passenger rail transportations . . .

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• ?

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Intercity Passenger Rail is Part of the
Transportation Puzzle
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Increased Mobility

• Faster and safer than auto travel
• As fast as air travel on a door-to-door basis,
  but more affordable, convenient and comfortable
• Keeps running in virtually all weather
• A viable travel choice for an aging population,
  persons with disabilities and millions of
  Americans who do not have cars

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Increased mobility

• In the Midwest, the MWRRI is projected to draw
  13.6 million riders annually and reduce train
  travel times by up to 50 percent
• The Ohio Hub plan project 3.2 million passengers
  annually
• Both will reach areas previously untouched by
  passenger rail service

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Complements Other Transportation Modes

• Convenient downtown-to-downtown service between
  all major urban centers
• Direct connection to many of the region's major
  airports, allowing residents of smaller
  communities the benefits of affordable
  long-distance travel
• Supports commuter and light rail

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Less Congestion

• Americans waste 60 billion per year in time and
  fuel due to airport and road congestion
• A single railroad track can carry as many people
  as a ten-lane highway at a fraction of the cost

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Cleaner Air and Less Sprawl

• Trains use much less energy and cause less air
  pollution per passenger than cars or planes
• Downtown train stations will encourage
  development in city and town centers,
  counteracting suburban sprawl
• Less need for new highways and airports

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New Jobs and Economic Growth

• The MWRRI will bring 8,000 jobs during
  construction, and 2,000 permanent jobs during
  operation
• The Ohio Hub is expected to create 6,600
  construction jobs, 1,500 permanent operating jobs
  and 6,000 indirect jobs
• 9.1 billion in new economic activity
• Stations become magnets for economic development
• Promotes tourism and intra-regional economy

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Cost-Effective

• Incremental high speed rail costs just 1
  million per mile less than 1/10th the cost of
  highway construction
• Once built, high speed rail in the Midwest, both
  the MWRRI and the Ohio Hub, will pay for itself

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Examples of MWRRI Service Improvements
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Examples of new service

• Rock Island-Iowa City-Des Moines (5 daily
  roundtrips)
• Des Moines-Omaha (4 daily)
• Milwaukee-Madison (10 daily)
• Madison-St. Paul (6 daily)
• Chicago-Milwaukee-Green Bay (7 daily)
• Kalamazoo-Grand Rapids (4 daily)

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Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Map
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Ohio Hub

• Cleveland as hub to Detroit, Cincinnati,
  Pittsburgh and Toronto
• Initially 2 trains per day, 79 mph
• Full implementation will see 5-8 trains per day
  at speeds up to 110 mph

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Connecting the Midwest

• The MWRRI and Ohio Hub together will dramatically
  improve passenger rail service, while easing
  congestion\
• Connect the Midwest to the Eastern states, as
  well as Canada

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Transportation funds for Highways, Air and Rail
Source US DOT Bureau of Transportation
Statistics, National Transportation Statistics
2005
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National Transportation Expenditures
Source US DOT Bureau of Transportation
Statistics, National Transportation Statistics
2005
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Passenger rail is a critical component of a
modern, multi-modal transportation system, and
needs to have financial support, unified policy
development and oversight similar to that
afforded to our air, highway and mass transit
modes.

• American Passenger Rail Agreement

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So what can we do?
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The MIPRC has taken a leading role in several
areas of passenger rail advocacy

• Education
• Raising awareness of the MWRRI and the Ohio Hub
• Building consensus around common goals
• Promoting rail development legislation at the
  federal level

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Education

• Weekly MIPRC E-NewsClips
• Federal legislative alerts
• MIPRC Website (www.miprc.org)
• Press releases/opinion pieces

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MIPRC-Developed Brochure on MWRRI
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American Passenger Rail Agreement
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American Passenger Rail Agreement on the right
track

• America needs a balanced, integrated
  transportation system
• American people need diverse transportation
  choices
• Passenger rail is a critical component of a
  modern, multi-modal transportation system
• It needs to have financial support, unified
  policy development and oversight similar to that
  afforded to our air, highway and mass transit
  modes

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American Passenger Rail Agreement Calling on
Congress and the President to . . .

• Establish a dedicated, multi-year federal
  capital-funding program for intercity passenger
  rail, patterned after the existing federal
  highway, airport and mass transit programs

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American Passenger Rail Agreement Calling on
Congress and the President to . . .

• Establish, as federal policy, a preserved and
  improved national passenger rail system a
  nationwide, interconnected passenger rail system
  that stimulates higher levels of efficiency,
  innovation and responsiveness. Direct the
  Federal Railroad Administration, or another
  agency within the U. S. Department of
  Transportation, to with state and local input
  develop, fund and oversee this federal policy

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American Passenger Rail Agreement Calling on
Congress and the President to . . .

• Provide full federal funding of Amtrak to
  maintain the national network during the period
  that the new federal plans and policies are being
  developed. Then, fully fund implementation of
  the national passenger rail system with its new
  efficiencies, innovation and responsiveness in
  subsequent years

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American Passenger Rail Agreement

• 125 Signatories

• National Rail Associations
• Unions
• National Associations of State/ Local Officials
• Midwestern Groups (including the MLC)
• State Rail Associations

• Businesses
• Chambers of Commerce
• Environmental groups
• Cities, villages and counties across the U.S.

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MIPRC . . . Bringing the message to Congress
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May 2005 Trip to Washington, D.C.
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The MIPRC . . . creating a unified voice

• Forming a compact for the purpose of promoting
  coordinating and supporting regional improvements
  to passenger rail brings strength and legitimacy
  to the Midwests plans
• With the addition of each new state, that voice
  grows stronger

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MIPRCwww.miprc.org
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The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission

• Bringing Together State Leaders From Across the
  Region to Advocate for Passenger Rail
  Improvements