ADOT requests public input for State Rail Plan update

PHOENIX – As part of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s focus on multimodal long-range planning, the department is updating its State Rail Plan to better determine rail improvements across the state, based on future needs and opportunities.

ADOT is looking to the public and stakeholders to provide their input about what the State Rail Plan should include for both freight and passenger rail systems. A survey in both English and Spanish is available at azdot.gov/staterailplan. Comments are requested by August 10, 2018.

The rail plan update will provide guidance for the existing rail systems and services used by Arizona’s freight shippers and the public. It will also provide an assessment of the statewide rail system, offering recommendations for policies, programs, processes and projects that will improve rail-related safety and service. The plan will consist of five major elements:

• Describing the role of rail transportation in the state.
• Profiling the state’s railroad assets and traffic, along with identifying markets, logistics, and economic and demographic trends that will have an impact on rail transportation needs.
• Determining freight rail needs and improvements.
• Determining passenger rail needs and improvements.
• Development of a rail service plan.

The State Rail Plan update will rely heavily on input from the state’s rail transportation stakeholders and the public. Several stakeholder workshops were held last year throughout Arizona to meet with those involved in the rail industry and to obtain input about the challenges and opportunities for Arizona’s rail network. The feedback gathered from these meetings will be included in the updated State Rail Plan, which is expected to be completed in late 2018.

The State Rail Plan is updated every four years, as required by the Federal Railroad Administration. For more information about the plan, please visit azdot.gov/staterailplan.