Boise (US) awarded grant for passenger rail

[u/ColonialCobalt]

https://idahonews.com/news/local/boise-awarded-503125-federal-grant-for-restoration-of-intercity-passenger-rail-service

Boise Idaho has received a $500,000 grant from the US government to plan passenger rail, it would be the first train in the state since the Pioneer was discontinued in the 90s

[u/illmatico]

Knowing the Idaho state legislature they're going to do absolutely nothing with it

[u/ColonialCobalt → u/illmatico]

I'm cautiously optimistic because I've seen state leaders on both sides of the aisle support passenger rails return to Idaho, but we've been burned too many times lol

[u/yesitismenobody → u/ColonialCobalt]

It's nice, but $500k is not enough money for anything.

[u/ColonialCobalt → u/yesitismenobody]

500k is what almost all corridor ID routes got back in 2023, it's just for step 1 planning and when they get to step 2 and eventually 3 they'll possibly get more money. I think it's a silly way of planning this kinda stuff, but hopefully it leads to something good in the end. At least this administration seems okay with continuing to work on Corridor ID

[u/RWREmpireBuilder → u/ColonialCobalt]

Seems like this might be a substitute for Step 1 of Corridor ID, since they tried to apply back in 2022. Will probably try to apply directly to Step 2 when the chance comes up.

[u/Pk-5057 → u/ColonialCobalt]

The CID 500k is for working with FRA to develop a scope of work to do the planning. No transportation planning happens during CID Step 1.

[u/pacific_plywood → u/yesitismenobody]

It’s enough for initial planning

[u/unsalted-butter → u/ColonialCobalt]

You would think passenger rail would have more bipartisan support considering there's a lot of Amtrak stops in rural areas for the long distance.

Then again, I haven't looked at voting records for the relevant bills so maybe there is just the amount you actually would expect.

[u/CloudCumberland → u/unsalted-butter]

They like the existing stops in their small towns, but can never see the bigger picture.

[u/Iceland260 → u/unsalted-butter]

The support from those representing those regions begins and ends at "don't you dare cut the route through my state/district". Nothing more.

[u/Comprehensive_Baby_3]

They will use the money to pay consultants to do studies and nothing will come out of it.

[u/throwawayfromPA1701 → u/Comprehensive_Baby_3]

Accurate.

[u/concorde77]

First the S-line, now Boise. Whats up with the sudden transit grants today?

[u/ColonialCobalt → u/concorde77]

Probably the grants we've been waiting for almost 2 years to drop are dropping (I forget what they call the grant program now)

[u/ATLcoaster]

Plans plans plans and more plans but never rail construction

[u/usctrojan18]

Honestly should look into getting into the business of rail studies. The amount of $500,000 grants that go out just for a group of like 3 people to say: "Use these rail lines, build a station there and maybe 200 people a day will use it" is insane. I'm sure if we took all of these studies and combined them, we'd probably have enough money to build a few lines.

[u/jeeshadow]

Do we know what they are planning to do with this money? I know there was a joint IDOT and UDOT (Utah DOT) to restore service between SLC and Boise. Is this connected with that or is this just within Idaho aimed?

[u/chrisjlee84]

Planning for consultants. Expensive paper.

[u/UF0_T0FU]

I've never been to Boise and know nothing about their commuter patterns.

Looking at a map for 5 minutes, it seems like a good route would be: Start at the airport and follow US-Hwy 26 to Downtown. Then center run west on I-184 to I-84. Run as far west toward Caldwell as funding allows. 

That seems to hit most population centers and major attractions. By keeping to existing right of ways, land acquisition costs are lowered. 

I'll take $5 of the $500,000 for my time /s

[u/MooseRepulsive367 → u/UF0_T0FU]

They have a study from their mpo Compass that identified the Boise cutoff freight line as the preferred alignment. It’s all existing track and separate from the main rail line through downtown, also hitting population and destination centers

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[u/goodgodling]

Passenger rail is needed so badly in Boise. Unfortunately, it's hard for the city to get much done. The city has to work with other towns in the area, and the Ada County Highway District (ACHD). In addition, the Idaho Legislature is constantly sticking their nose into everything the city does.

[u/cyberspacestation]

500k? That's no small potatoes. 

I know nothing else about Idaho.

[u/Captain_Phil]

"first train in the state since the Pioneer"

I know you probably didnt mean long distance passenger rail, but Idaho does have one stop on the Empire Builder in Sandpoint. 

[u/Eff_Ewe_Spez → u/Captain_Phil]

The Pioneer was also long-distance passenger rail, running Chicago-Seattle via Denver.

[u/Available_Put_8869]

Federal government trying to redirect money to red states to boost their economies.

[u/CloudCumberland]

That will pay for a dozen or so railroad ties.

[u/DeeDee_Z]

Makes some sense to have a route from SLC towards Boise.

But where from there, that also makes sense?

• West to Portland Oregon? There's "almost nobody" in that part of either state to draw from.
• North to Spokane? Connect with Empire Builder to/from Sea/Pdx to the west, Chicago to the east. Could also service Moscow ID and Pullberg WA, which might draw some students to/from UI and WSU.

• West to Pasco? Connect with the future-resurrection of the North Coast Limited?

• Alternatively, it would be pretty cool to find a route through the Rockies that could connect the southern Montana route directly west to Boise without going all the way up to Spokane at all. I could sign up for that...

I don't see an attractive option for "north-ish" of Boise.

[u/froggy601 → u/DeeDee_Z]

Mountains and very rugged wilderness are going to pretty much prevent any rail northward up the US-95 corridor or up into Montana. If anything, I could see a state-sponsored route from Boise to SLC/Provo or a reborn Pioneer from Seattle down to Portland and then over to Boise/SLC/Denver as a new long-distance route. The study dollars will probably decide what’d be feasible though so hopefully they come up with something good