Davenport might come away with as a lot as $10 million from Canadian Pacific because the rail firm seeks to merge with Kansas Metropolis Southern, a transfer that is anticipated to triple prepare visitors downtown.
Davenport aldermen will vote on the settlement subsequent week.
It contains $8 million for infrastructure upgrades to fight noise and security considerations, reminiscent of pedestrian entry to the riverfront and making a “quiet zone” from Marquette Avenue to Mound Avenue. An added $2 million would go towards a bridge close to a waste water therapy plant close to Credit score Island for pedestrian and car visitors to journey over the railway and keep away from being stopped by trains.
Canadian Pacific and riverfront cities have been in negotiations for months because the rail firm undergoes an approval course of by the Floor Transportation Board to merge with Kansas Metropolis Southern. The merger would create the primary single-company rail line connecting the U.S., Mexico, and Canada and is valued at roughly $31 billion.
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Trains making the continental journey beneath the brand new route must move by means of Iowa Mississippi River cities, together with the Iowa Quad-Cities.
That’s anticipated to triple the variety of trains. Davenport leaders have expressed concern that the elevated quantity would affect entry to its Water Air pollution Management Plant and the riverfront, in addition to be noisy for downtown guests and residents. Cities, together with Davenport, have been negotiating straight with Canadian Pacific for assist in upgrading infrastructure.
The majority of the cash — the $8 million at Davenport’s discretion — might be used for “a quiet zone, pedestrian entry to riverfront facilities and grant matches,” Davenport Chief Technique Officer Sarah Ott wrote in an electronic mail.
“Workers will create a advice based mostly on engineering feasibility and entry wants,” Ott wrote. “There may be not a time restrict on these funds.”
The deal would additionally put $2 million towards an overpass close to the Water Air pollution Management Plant at S. Harmony Avenue and W. River Drive to keep away from lengthy delays close to Canadian Pacific’s change yard. However the project-specific cash hinges on whether or not town can safe further grant funding.
“Metropolis services, residents and companies are sometimes blocked by trains when visiting this space as a result of proximity of the switching/storage yard,” Ott wrote in an electronic mail. “With the rise in prepare visitors, it will develop into extra prevalent. An overpass will enhance effectivity for visitors and supply entry to emergency response automobiles if wanted.”
Workers have not recognized particular grants to use for, Ott mentioned, and the selection will depend upon availability and timing of purposes.
Signing the settlement prevents town from opposing the merger in entrance of the Floor Transportation Board or in search of different mitigation measures. However in a council memo, Metropolis Lawyer Tom Warner wrote that Canadian Pacific’s “funding is considerably greater than what the Floor Transportation Board would require.”
“The Metropolis and CP have developed working relationship over the previous a number of years and that’s borne out by this settlement and CP’s dedication to investing in our group and being prepared to proactively tackle some potential considerations which will come up from their pending acquisition,” the memo reads.
Bettendorf reached a $3 million agreement with Canadian Pacific earlier this summer time. Town expects to make use of roughly half of it to create “quiet zones” from twelfth Avenue by means of thirty fifth Avenue, which might embrace putting in 4 flashing lights and gates at most railroad crossings or putting in medians to forestall automobiles from going across the gates. With these added security measures, trains would not must blow their horns.
The merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas Metropolis Southern, if accredited, is not anticipated to be absolutely accomplished till 2027, when prepare visitors can be absolutely ramped up.
Davenport is shifting slowly ahead with a plan for a $6 million riverfront “regional vacation spot play space” to draw extra guests and add a quality-of-life amenity to downtown Davenport. Some aldermen have expressed hesitancy with shifting ahead with the COVID-19-relief dollars-funded mission whereas negotiations with the railroad had been pending.
Canadian Pacific casts the merger as an financial enhance to the world, together with creating about 100 jobs within the Quad-Cities. Rail firm officers additionally declare the merger will result in lowering 1.5 million tons of greenhouse fuel emissions inside 5 years due to improved effectivity.
