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Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson recently signed two pieces of legislation that will position the state to advance plans for high-speed and intercity passenger rail.

One bill enacts the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact, an agreement between Midwestern states to jointly develop high-speed and intercity passenger rail. Kansas is the 11th state to sign the compact.

A second bill authorizes the state transportation secretary to establish and implement a passenger-rail service program. The secretary would be authorized to enter into agreements with Amtrak, other rail operators, local jurisdictions and other states. The secretary also would provide assistance to local jurisdictions and encourage economic development, as well as issue loans or grants to passenger-rail service providers through the Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund, which was established by the bill. The legislation will help Kansas obtain additional passenger-rail funding from the federal government, according to a press release.

“A strong public infrastructure system helps attract businesses and jobs to our state, and a high-speed rail service is another piece in furthering our economic recovery,” said Parkinson in a prepared statement.

The Kansas Department of Transportation obtained a $250,000 planning grant through the High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program. To be matched with $125,000 from the Kansas DOT and $125,000 from the Oklahoma DOT, the grant will fund a planning study to help the Kansas DOT create a more detailed service development plan for expanded passenger-rail service in the state.

The planning study will build on an Amtrak study released March 11 that outlines four alternatives for operating state-sponsored intercity passenger-rail service between Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas.