A county meeting discussed the feasibility of a passenger rail system from Iowa City to North Liberty.

By Julia DiGiacomo
[email protected]

A county meeting on Wednesday considered a recent study by the Department of Transportation that determined passenger-rail system between Iowa City and North Liberty is feasible.

Alternative transportation was the topic of the night at the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County urbanized area policy board meeting.

The board discussed a recent draft form of a DOT study regarding the effect of alternative modes of transportation in the I-380 corridor. Assistant transportation planner Brad Neumann said the study focused on a variety of possible scenarios, including alternatives such as passenger rail and autonomous vehicles.

“We’re most concerned with the Iowa City to North Liberty passenger rail part of the studies,” Neumann said.

Neumann said there have been two phases of studies on passenger rail in the past. Phase 1 was mostly concerned with passenger rail between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

The cost would be very high. The second phase was concentrated on a possible rail between Iowa City and North Liberty. Neumann said this project was projected to cost $30 million to $40 million.

“Based on all these proposed scenarios, the DOT concluded that the eight-mile [train] segment between Iowa City and North Liberty was a natural first phase for alternative transportation use and offered the most viable option to use on I-380,” Neumann said.

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Neumann thinks this is the fourth study in the last 20 years that has said passenger rail service between Iowa City and North Liberty is feasible.

The DOT has indicated it is still willing to continue with the current “phase 3” of the study.

That phase would delve into the financial possibilities of a passenger rail system between Iowa City and North Liberty. Neumann said it would estimate ridership numbers and look at the operating costs.

Neumann said the DOT estimated that by 2040, there will be an average weekday ridership of 6,200 between the two towns.

The board members discussed a future decision to allocate funding for the third phase of the DOT’s study.

“I’m not speaking for the other councilmen, but I’m pretty sure we would be interested in doing it,” Coralville City Councilor Tom Gills said.

During the meeting, the board also acknowledged that this January, a new vice chair and chair of the urbanized area policy board will be elected. Current Chair Susan Mims and Vice Chair Steve Berner have completed their two-year terms.

The board members discussed and ultimately agreed upon several issues on their agendas.

Kent Ralston, executive director of the metropolitan group, proposed an increase in staffing. Several board members supported the idea.

“We’re the second-fastest growing county in the state. We have two of the fastest growing towns,” county Supervisor Mike Carberry said. “The fact that you guys do what you do with the staff you have is amazing. We need to give you the resources you need to keep us moving forward.”

The board also agreed to align the county’s goals for highway fatalities with the state’s.