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MoDOT Creating State Rail Plan – And Wants Your Input
Return to BlogFrom MoDOT:
If you were charged with guiding Missouri’s rail future, how would you spend your resources and what would you make a priority? A new online survey is giving citizens the chance to offer suggestions.
The survey is seeking information about rail services, challenges, opportunities, costs and benefits from the public’s point of view.
“We’re launching efforts to develop a state rail plan for Missouri,” said MoDOT Director Kevin Keith, “and we need your help to plan properly for the future.
“It’s always a challenge to pay for all the transportation services and improvements Missourians tell us they want,” Keith added, “so how the state invests our rail transportation dollars says a lot about our priorities and has a major impact on the state’s economy.”
The survey results, along with other information collected through public involvement activities, will be used to help MoDOT create a comprehensive rail plan that will primarily focus on three general areas: freight rail development, passenger rail and highway/rail crossing safety.
The survey only takes a few moments, and allows survey takers to focus on various areas of rail: passenger, freight, funding, expansion and other issues. For more information, visit MoDOT’s website.
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The State of MO could start by recognizing that MODOT means Missouri Department of TRANSPORTATION. It’s not MODOHighways… The state of MO needs to shift some of it’s priorities towards funding the LOCAL transit infrastructure of its primary economic engine, instead of building new rural four lanes.
That survey was very confusing. MODOT means intercity rail, but doesn’t specifically rule out metrolink – light rail. Some people may have answered questions like their most recent train trip – I think that was one of the questions – by thinking of their last trip on metrolink.
One question was whether the responder was a rail activist. I said no, but reading this blog makes me a semi- rail activist.
I agree with William’s comment that MODOT needs to shift more funding to local transir, but I don’t agree that that should happen at the expense of intercity rail. Better intercity rail for passengers and freight would greatly reduce fuel usage and the need for highways.
I saw the survey and it turns out to be that if additional intercity rail would be expanded, it would help feed into local transit by bringing in more riders from other parts of the state. Amtrak should also make the existing line 100% ADA accesable by either buying additional bi-level Superliner coaches and have them run on the River Runner or buy Talgo coaches and do the same thing. Both have low-floor service for mobilitiy impaired customers.
I have to agree that MoDOT needs to remember that the last letter in the acronym is a T for Transportation, not H for Highways.
I would LOVE to see better train service here in Missouri.
Some of the resources could be used to modernize and update passenger terminals, as well as provide better security in the terminals to ensure passenger comfort and safety.