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The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is holding a series of meetings this month to solicit public opinion on the feasibility and potential impacts of a proposed Phoenix-to-Tucson rail link.

The department launched a study earlier this year to complete an alternatives analysis and environmental impact statement for a high-capacity transportation connection between the two metropolitan areas, ADOT officials said in a prepared statement. As part of the study, which is scheduled for completion in 2013, ADOT evaluated a rail connection as an alternative transportation mode.

If the study indicates a rail line is feasible, ADOT plans to further analyze the route based on a timeframe outlined in the feasibility study and when funding is available, department officials said.

However, the future of passenger rail in the state “will depend on decisions that rest with Arizona’s policymakers and with the support of the public,” they said.

In addition to the public meetings, the department is accepting written comments on the proposed line until Nov. 14.