R2008-183 TO ESTABLISH PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE

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RESOLUTION NO. R2008-183 RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR TO ESTABLISH PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE m i Whereas, Decatur, Illinois, is a dynamic, progressive city, whose govern ent s constantly striving to improve conditions for business, industry, higher education, and the citizens of Decatur in general; and, Whereas, rising prices of gasoline make intercity public transportation more important for the economic future of Decatur; and, Whereas, the business climate in Decatur would be greatly improved with increased intercity public transportation; and, Whereas, Amtrak Illinois service is skyrocketing on both the 5 daily-round-trip Chicago-Bloomington-Springfield-St. Louis line and the 3-daily-round-trip Chicago-Champaign-Carbondale line; and, Whereas, last year Amtrak ridership topped 1 million passengers for the first time in 30 years on routes between Chicago and downstate cities; and, Whereas, estimates indicate that about 1.1 million Amtrak tickets were sold for travel from Chicago to Champaign, Carbondale, Bloomington/Normal, Galesburg, Macomb, Mattoon, Springfield, Quincy and St. Louis, a 15 percent ridership increase according to Amtrak; and, Whereas, the City of Decatur has been told that we are "in the queue" by Amtrak, ' meaning that there is a level of interest in examining the possibility of service to Decatur; and, Whereas, the City of Quincy recently added an Amtrak line and other communities are looking to do so as well meaning that it is imperative that Decatur move quickly to help our residents to receive this service; and, Whereas, the Illinois Department of Transportation increased funding for Amtrak several years ago to provide additional state runs with funding totals being about $28 million this year and state-supported routes having added almost 300,000 in the last fiscal year; and,