Restoring passenger rail service to Peoria is “cost prohibitive” and “impractical,” according to U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood.
“It’s going to take an enormous amount of money,” he said Tuesday, emphasizing that previous attempts to provide passenger rail to the area failed largely because of an inability to offer a more “efficient” way to travel to Chicago. “If you cannot get people into Chicago on a train quicker than by driving, it’s impractical to think people (will travel on a train).”
LaHood, R-Peoria, said if local leaders want to enhance Peoria’s passenger rail options, they should look at supporting existing Amtrak stations in Normal and Galesburg.
“Those of us in Peoria who wanted to take advantage of that will want to promote bus service (to either Bloomington/Normal or Galesburg),” said LaHood, whose congressional position allows him to facilitate discussions on regional transportation priorities and seek federal funding for projects.
LaHood also described himelf as a strong supporter of Amtrak, the nation’s intercity passenger rail system, and called legislation passed by Congress last year authorizing $13 billion over five years to Amtrak “a very good bill.”
I see. LaHood is for Amtrak in smaller metropolitan statistical areas like Galesburg and Bloomington, but for Peoria — the fourth-largest MSA in Illinois — the bus will do.
At his confirmation hearing, LaHood spoke the lingo of sustainability and livability, of the need to build new infrastructure and the importance of Amtrak, “the lifeblood of many, many communities around the country,” he was quoted as saying in the New York Times. It’s hard to square this rhetoric with LaHood’s comments from a year and a half ago. Denying intercity rail to such a large population so that their only options are to drive or take the bus is not sustainable thinking. Claiming that bringing Amtrak to Peoria is too expensive without even waiting for a feasibility study to be completed is prejudicial.
So how are we to explain LaHood’s testimony? Is he changing his mind, or just adopting language he doesn’t fully understand/believe because it’s what the senators want to hear?
4th largest MSA … I think we used to be the 2nd. I am guessing Rockford and the “twin cities” (what a rip off) are ahead of us these days…
But it’s better here.
People don’t necessarily take a train to get there faster…
I would take train because:
a) Don’t want to mess with the hassle of parking not to mention the expense.
b) Don’t want to be all tired from 3 hours of alert driving…. Chicago driving is stressful you know. Kind of kills the mood when you get there and you are like.. man I need a nap.
c) When it is all said and done, it might be cheaper.
d) The kids can run around on the train somewhat, not so in the car.
“So how are we to explain LaHood’s testimony? Is he changing his mind, or just adopting language he doesn’t fully understand/believe because it’s what the senators want to hear?”
Please. That’s what Lahood has done for years. No explanation – just staus quo.
Ray got a lot of flack for his initial position on rail in Peoria and may have since modified it.
Watch what he does and not what he says. Talk is cheap.
Yet………… he supports a museum complex that will cost millions. He supports [initiated] a museum complex that might possibly cost the tax payers of Peoria [County]……how much in the end? He supports a multi-million dollar museum complex that will in no way possible EVER be able to sustain itself…………..
Yet…………the genius of Ray LaHood has determined that restoring passenger rail service to Peoria would be “cost prohibitive” and “impractical.”
What Mahkno said!!!
Leave it to LaHood to simplify the issue into nonsense.
mahkno is right on this one. There are many reasons to take the train – including – believe it or not – some people don’t/can’t drive (gaaasp!) Not all young people / college students have a car. Many senior citizens don’t drive, or at least don’t drive outside their neighborhood. Not to mention that some legislators have plans to take away the drivers license of just about everybody who has an accident (no, I’m not kidding, more on that at a later date).
And, yes, mahkno, talk is very cheap. We will see what he does.
Give me a train from Peoria to Chicago and I will go there several times a year to enjoy the city and the train ride. Make me drive and I will go maybe once a year. The biggest problem in going to Chicago is driving in Chicago and the parking. I am not interested in driving to Bloomington or Galesburg, or by bus, and then going by train to Chicago and having to come back to Peoria from Bloomington or Galesburg by bus or driving. Also, the seats on Peoria Charter Coach are not as comfortable or wide as were the buses of yore, they hurt my arse. We deserve a train and we need a petition drive or some high powered influence to make Sec. LaHood see the errors of his ways.