(Ames, Iowa) –  The Iowa Department of Transportation is seeking the public’s input, with regard to the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) Long Distance Passenger Rail Service Study. Section 22214 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) of 2021 tasks the FRA, with conducting an Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study to evaluate the restoration of daily intercity passenger rail service and the potential for new Amtrak long-distance routes. Now is the time to provide feedback on what passenger rail long distance routes could be developed and considered for future development.

Any comments can be submitted via the project email address, contactus@fralongdistancerailstudy.org or online form on the study’s website.

By statutory definition of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, a long distance route is service over 750 miles at endpoints that Amtrak operates. Please consider the endpoints could be located in adjacent states or even multiple states away. Under BIL, the FRA is required to conduct a study to evaluate the restoration of daily intercity rail passenger service along:

• any Amtrak long-distance routes that were discontinued; and
• any Amtrak long-distance routes that occur on a non-daily basis.
• In evaluating intercity passenger rail routes, FRA may evaluate potential new      Amtrak long-distance routes, including with specific attention provided to routes in service as of April 1971 but not continued by Amtrak, taking into consideration whether those new routes would:

o   link and serve large and small communities as part of a regional rail network;
o   advance the economic and social well-being of rural areas of the United States;
o   provide enhanced connectivity for the national long-distance passenger rail system; and
o   reflect public engagement and local and regional support for restored passenger rail service.

The FRA Long-Distance Service Study has developed working groups and will continue to meet around the country to explore all the feedback received, as well as any additional comments submitted via the project email or website links above.

As of mid-March, more than 1,000 comments on potential routes and cities for further study from working group meetings. The study team is currently reviewing and cataloging those comments to help inform the future phases of the study. We want to ensure that every comment is consider so please continue to provide comments with routes regardless if it may already have been suggested. Additional information on the study, meeting schedules, history of passenger rail, and other project details can be found at the study’s website: https://fralongdistancerailstudy.org.