Iowa, Illinois apply for federal rail funding

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Gov. Chet Culver has announced the Iowa and Illinois Departments of Transportation have submitted a joint application for funding to help pay for new and enhanced high speed passenger rail between Chicago and Iowa City.

The application is to the Federal Railroad Administration's High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program. The project would incorporate sustainable development principles in the construction and operation of the line. That could include running the train using biofuels, using recycled materials in construction, using locally grown foods and environmentally friendly packaging in food service, and encouraging pedestrian-friendly development around rail stations.

Culver says high-speed rail promises to create an economic development engine for decades.

Applications were due Friday. Funding announcements are expected to be made on Sept. 30. The total proposed cost of the Iowa City-to-Chicago line, which would stop in the Quad Cities, is $310 million.