Your input is needed on the current conditions of Iowa’s public roadways and how to best repair and maintain them in the future.

A Transportation 2020 Citizens Advisory Commission was created this spring to help the Iowa Department of Transportation review projected road construction and maintenance needs of city, county and state government, as well as the revenues available to get the work done.

To accomplish this, the Citizens Advisory Commission will hold a public input meeting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Des Moines on Wednesday, August 24, at the Embassy Suites, 101 East Locust Street.

Governor Branstad, it is time to tell us where you stand on passenger rail and Iowa’s transportation future. Iowans are calling on you to recognize this opportunity and step forward to make it happen.

In October, Iowa was awarded $230 million in federal funds to establish passenger rail service between Chicago and Iowa City via the Quad Cities. The route is part of a long-term effort to connect Iowa City to Des Moines, and then connect to the national passenger rail system at Omaha.

Unfortunately, House Republicans want to reject this federal investment of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in Iowa railroads, Iowa jobs and the Iowa economy.