BOISE, Idaho — City leaders and other stakeholders from across the Northwest filled the Boise Depot Wednesday for the Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit to discuss potential Amtrak service expansion through region.
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner is in Boise for the event; city leaders throughout the Treasure Valley have been working together for months to bring Amtrak services to the local area.
Amtrak shut down the Pioneer Route — connecting Portland to Salt Lake City by way of Boise — in 1997. KTVB has previously reported that Amtrak shut down the line after the route cost it nearly $20 million.
"We want to work together. We see the benefit it is to all of us, not just individual cities," Caldwell Mayor Jarom Wagoner said. "A lot of the focus seems to be on the East Coast, the higher-density population areas. So, to get any kind of attention we can out in the wWst is a big deal."
The federal government earmarked $66 billion to improve and expand passenger train systems across the United States as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that President Biden signed in late 2021. Before any existing, dormant, or proposed route or line can receive this money, Amtrak must first determine the cost of each of project. The federal government is conducting studies to determines the expected cost — only qualifying projects will event be considered for a study.
Federal tax dollars will pay for 100% of the initial study cost. They will also pay for 90% of the first year of operation and 80% of needed rail improvements.
Treasure Valley leaders — in tandem with Salt Lake City for a connected line — filed an application for a study in March. Amtrak will know if that application is approved for a study by winter, according to Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari.
"We're in a process that will get us those answers. It won't be quick, it likely won't be inexpensive," Magliari said. "There are lots of places that are asking for service. There are lots of places that would be a really tough nut to crack."
Reviving service to Boise — and the Treasure Valley — holds an advantage through the existence of previous Pioneer Route infrastructure. Additionally, Magliari points to booming populations between Boise and Salt Lake City.
"We're optimistic that Boise to Salt Lake City makes a lot of sense," Magliari said.
The federal government is still gauging interest in long-distance travel through the Treasure Valley — specifically connecting Boise to Portland. The priority of this rail revitalization won't be known until next spring, according to Magliari.
"This isn't a sprint, it's a marathon," Wagoner said. "I think it's definitely doable. And I think we definitely will see it come to fruition within the next few years."
It will take Amtrak and federal government at least a year, potentially two, before they have the necessary information to start offering funds to create, improve, or revive passenger rail lines, Magliari said.
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