A recent study paid for by Corridor communities and Chambers of Commerce and spurred on by Cedar Rapids’ 15 in 5 Light Rail committee finds that while no medium-speed commuter lines between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are currently tenable, excursion trains and commuter trains from North Liberty into Iowa City are feasible endeavors. I’ve been looking forward to the results of this study for quite sometime. Driving to Iowa City every day from my home in CR, I often wish for a speedy (or even not speedy) mass transit alternative. I would much rather spend an hour reading on a train than 40 minutes driving my car.

The study came up with some interesting results, most of which I found disappointing. Here’s a quick summary:

• While much of the CRANDIC track between CR and IC gets little industrial use, the tracks in Cedar Rapids (and especially the 4th St corridor) get heavy usage from area businesses. This means that those routes are not available for a passenger train system without building separate tracks – which would no doubt have a steep price tag. One alternative is to bring rail service to The Eastern Iowa Airport and connect that to bus service to downtown Cedar Rapids.
• The CRANDIC rail lines only allow speeds of 30 mph or so. The tracks would have to be updated before a commuter train service would be viable. This price tag would equal about $70 million.
• Ridership may be enough to support the system, especially from North Liberty into Iowa City, but the system would likely need some significant federal and state funding.
• One positive is the potential for residential development along the rail routes similar to what can be found along METRA lines in the Chicago area. The CRANDIC lines run close to Swisher, North Liberty, and Coralville and could spur economic and residential development projects in those areas.

So the findings aren’t all bad. I think rail transit may work here due to the layout of the communities. Over 39,000 people cross the Linn-Johnson County line every weekday – I’d guess that a vast majority of those are people who commute to work. In particular, the U of I is a huge magnet for people all along the Corridor. With many people going to one central location very close to a rail line, commuter transit seems possible. If and when this idea starts to become a reality, I have a few suggestions. First, parking at rail stations must be easy and free (or at least very cheap). Many commuters will drive to a station to pick up the train – if they have to pay to park and to ride the train, it will likely no longer be economical to use the service. Second, easy bus routes need to be connected to and organized around the train system. Along with this, bus transfers must be free when a train ticket is purchased. While many workers will be traveling to the CR and IC city cores, many will not and will need bus access to reach their destinations. Third, the system cannot be designed for tourism. High prices, low-speed trains, and limited access to residential areas are marks of a tourism train system. I cannot see how such a system can work in the Corridor. There simple are not enough tourists! The need is for cheap, fast trains that will make commuting by train appealing to Corridor residents.