Iowa Town Working With Railway Company to Remove Track

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – After a denied federal grant application, the city of Cedar Falls and Iowa Northern Railway Company are partnering to remove seldom-used track that runs through the town.

The Courier reported that both the Iowa Northern Railway Company and the city of Cedar Falls are interested in removing track that runs through town. In partnering with Cedar Falls Utilities, they put “together a grant application to the Federal Administration’s new and competitive Railroad Crossing Elimination Program.”

The removal of the track would cost around $10 million. The reason for its removal is its seldom use and the surrounding areas are “unsafe” and do not allow “the city to utilize them to their fullest potential.”

Several weeks ago, RT&S reported on the $570 million in federal funding that was awarded to 63 projects via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While one project in Iowa did receive funding, the city of Cedar Falls did not as it was “deemed ineligible based on the criteria.”

Regardless of not being selected as one of the projects for a federal grant, there have been “four more years of funding . . . set aside for the program.” General Manager, Bill Magee “refrained from saying at this point in time that it will delay the project from happening. . . Work could still get underway next year as part of two to three years of phases of work.”

The work would include reconstructing the area between West Fifth and Franklin and State streets, “Iowa Street between Second and Third streets as well as other pavement removal and replacement.” The mayor of Cedar Falls, Rob Green, is steadfastly supportive of the track removal, despite the denied application. 

Bill Magee asserted that the cost estimates should remain the same. The city of Cedar Falls “sought up to $9.76 million and would have been required to provide a $1.22 million match of the project’s estimated $12.2 million cost. The railroad company also would have paid $1.22 million.” While the application for the federal grant was denied, the city was still “awarded $10 million from another one of the Department of Transportation’s grant programs for the $30 million reconstruction of Main Street.”

According to The Courier, “the city plans to reapply for the grant.”