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Renewing passenger-rail service between Kansas City and Wichita, Kan., and Oklahoma City would benefit the region’s economy — and the states should apply for federal High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail funds under the stimulus bill to complete the project, according to a recent study.

Conducted by Jayhawk Consulting, part of Kansas University’s School of Business, higher-speed passenger-rail service between the cities would produce a regional economic benefit of $3.20 for every dollar invested. The study identified increased travel, tourism and employment figures as a basis for the economic benefits.

The benefits were determined using the Kansas Department of Transportation’s estimates for ridership and costs, updated to today’s dollar values; projected ridership increases due to improved marketing programs; costs saved by providing rail service as a passenger transportation alternatives and a sophisticated model that predicts the direct and indirect economic benefits of investing in passenger-rail service in eastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma.