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MoDOT Rail Plan Up for Public Comment

MoDOT officials are meeting with community leaders and people from several mid-Missouri communities to get public input on the state’s freight and passenger rail plan.

MoDOT project manager Kristi Jamison said the purpose of the public meetings is to find out how MoDOT can improve its plan.

“We need to know what will be most beneficial for the companies that use our freight rail system, and for the people who use our passenger rail service," she said. " So it’s very important that we know what will be most beneficial to them during this process, and just see where they think we can make improvements in both of those services. ”

Fulton resident Roger Fischer attended a public meeting with MoDOT in Jefferson City Tuesday night.  He said MoDOT is focusing too much on passenger rail and overlooking tracks that help companies move their products in and out of the state.   

“They’re going to get those materials from outside the country, again sending our money overseas, or they’re going to be mining in other states when Missouri’s going to get left out, because we simply cannot get the material out of the ground and move to where they process it affordably,” he said.

Jamison said this and other comments may influence MoDOT’s decisions about the rail services it’s providing.  The rail plan tour continues with meetings in Kirkwood and Cape Girardeau this week. 

To see the plan, go to morail.org.