July 15, 2004
612 S. Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603
Frank Carlson Federal Building
444 SE Quincy, Room 392
Topeka, KS 66683
800 SW Jackson, Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66612
647 Massachusetts, Suite 212
Lawrence, KS 66044
Dear Senators Brownback, Roberts and Congressmen Ryun and Moore;
I am writing in support of funding for Amtrak in the FY05 Transportation, Treasury and General Government Appropriates bill.
Providing transportation alternatives such as Amtrak to the Lawrence community is important. Rail transportation provides intercity travel opportunities for Lawrence citizens that can prove affordable and pleasurable and provides an opportunity to take advantage of the scenery.
Rail travel is also an important element of the Kansas and Lawrence transportation system that is a multimodal integrated system of various transportation modes. The continuation and success of one and all pieces of the multimodal system in the Lawrence and Kansas transportation system is significant for the Lawrence community. The modal system plans included in Transportation 2025, Lawrence’s transportation plan, represent a comprehensive effort to build a multimodal transportation system. Air, rail, truck, and inter-city bus industries are essential components in the local economy and play a fundamental role in the Lawrence and Douglas County transportation system.
Lawrence is along one of Amtrak’s main east/west lines,
Southwest Chief, traveling daily from Chicago to Kansas
City and on east west to Los Angeles via Topeka and Newton. From Lawrence, using connections in Chicago, citizens have access
to destinations nation wide at Amtrak stations in 46 states. Rail service
provides rural populations a transportation opportunity not otherwise
afforded. Isolated from major airports, rural residents can rely on rail
travel for long-distance travel. In Lawrence, existing Amtrak service is characteristic of being in
the middle of one of the main routes, however, the service remains important.
Given the value that rail service currently provides and the value that may be generated in the future, I support the FY05 funding request by Amtrak.
Sincerely,
Mike Rundle
Mayor