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<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername"></b><span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:sfrr@aol.com">sfrr@aol.com</a>></span><br>Date: Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 1:16 PM<br>
Subject: {PassRailTX,OK,KS} PR: KDOT Releases Passenger Rail Service Development Plan.<br>To: <a href="mailto:EvanStair@passengerrailok.org">EvanStair@passengerrailok.org</a><br><br><br><font color="black" size="2" face="arial"><font color="black" size="2" face="arial">
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Passenger Rail <i>Texas</i><i>, Oklahoma, and Kansas</i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Press Release</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">For Immediate Release</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">December 1, 2011</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><a href="http://www.passnegerrailks.org/" target="_blank">www.PassnegerRailKS.org</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><a href="http://www.passengerrailtx.org/" target="_blank">www.PassengerRailTX.org</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><a href="http://www.passengerrailok.org/" target="_blank">www.PassengerRailOK.org</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><a href="http://www.northflyer.org/" target="_blank">www.NorthFlyer.org</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Contact Evan Stair at <a href="tel:405.204.5801" target="_blank" value="+14052045801">405.204.5801</a> or <a href="mailto:EvanStair@PassengerRailOK.org" target="_blank">EvanStair@PassengerRailOK.org</a> </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b>RE:<span> </span>KDOT Releases Passenger Rail Service Development Plan.<br><br></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The <i>Kansas Department of Transportation</i> (KDOT), partnering with the <i>Oklahoma</i><i> </i>and <i>Texas</i> Departments of Transportation (ODOT, TxDOT) released a federal qualifying passenger rail <i>Service Development Plan</i> (SDP) expansion study today.<span> </span>The <i>Parsons Brinckerhoff</i> study analyzed passenger rail expansion between<i> Fort Worth Oklahoma City Wichita Kansas City</i>.<span> </span>The subject 606 mile <i>Texas Oklahoma Kansas Corridor</i> (TOK Corridor) has been under study since 2008 by the three state DOTs and Amtrak.<span> </span><span> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The SDP fulfills one third of federal requirements to secure capital passenger rail expansion grants along the corridor.<span> </span>The <i>High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail</i> (HSIPR) grant program, administered by the <i>Federal Railroad Administration</i> (FRA), includes three requirements; including 1) current state rail plans, 2) a SDP, and 3) <i>National Environmental Protection Act</i> (NEPA) studies.<span> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The project continues at a snails pace.<span> </span>KDOT and TxDOT have completed their state rail plans.<span> </span>ODOT has stated they expect the Oklahoma state rail plan to complete by the end of January following a 30 day public comment period.<span> </span>Funding to complete the required NEPA study has yet to be identified.<span> </span>The NEPA study is expected to require 18 months to complete.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The FRA has awarded nearly $10 billion in grants over the past three years.<span> </span>Capital requirements, as projected in the SDP, include $136.5 million for the Heartland Flyer expansion to Wichita/ Newton, KS and $436.2 million to operate a new train between Kansas City and Ft. Worth.<span> </span>Annual operational subsidies are projected as $8.6 million for the <i>Heartland Flyer</i> expansion, and $14.5 million for the full 606-mile TOK Corridor.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The study predicts a dramatic annual ridership increase over the existing <i>Heartland Flyer</i>.<span> </span>The Fort Worth - Oklahoma City train service attracted 81,749 passengers during FY-2010.<span> </span>A <i>Heartland Flyer</i> expansion north of Oklahoma City to Wichita/ Newton, KS would increase ridership to 250,000 annually.<span> </span>A new train, operating over the full 606-mile TOK Corridor would attract 270,500 passengers.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The study highlights economic development, improved transportation safety, and avoided highway damage costs.<span> </span>Some 2,331 people lost their lives on Kansas roads in the past five years.<span> </span>The study also referenced that improvements will also provide a direct benefit to rail-freight movements, thus preserving taxpayer road investments. Freight belongs on the rails, according to Evan Stair, Executive Director Passenger Rail Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.<span> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Stair was disappointed with the timeline, <i>Parsons Brinckerhoff</i> is projecting that the earliest an expansion can occur is 2019.<span> </span>This is unfortunate as the need for these services is already upon us.<span> </span>The three states and Amtrak need to find ways to cut this timeline.<span> </span>It seems we are studying this route into oblivion.<span> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Stair was also critical of economic development figures, The world class <i>Texas Transportation Institute</i> showed $14 million in economic generation beyond Oklahoma/ Texas subsidy for FY-2009 along the 206 mile Oklahoma City Fort Worth Corridor.<span> </span>This study was sanctioned by TxDOT and ODOT.<span> </span>The economic model used in this study does not include after-the-farebox revenues that make passenger rail not only viable, but necessary in our economy, struggling to rebound since the 2008 collapse. <font size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><font size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The study is will be available on the Kansas Department of Transportation website: <a href="http://www.ksdot.org/" target="_blank">www.KSDOT.org</a> soon.</font></font><br>
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