The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) //

Formed by compact agreement in 2000, MIPRC's current members are Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota are also eligible to join.

The main purposes of the compact are to promote, coordinate and support regional improvements to passenger rail service by promoting both current improvements and long-range plans for intercity passenger rail service in the US Midwest. The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission’s work runs the gamut, from promoting state and regional passenger rail plans and projects to influencing federal policy

On December 1st, 2022, MIPRC submitted an application to the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a $5 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) planning grant to further develop the Midwest Regional Rail Plan. Amtrak has committed to providing half of the grant’s proposed non-federal match, while MIPRC and its member states will provide the other half. This is the first time the Commission has applied for a federal grant as a primary applicant. If selected by the FRA, the grant will fund “Invest Midwest” – a further refinement and expansion of the FRA-led Midwest Regional Rail Plan of 2021, which set forth a strategic 40-year vision for the Midwest’s passenger rail network