BETTENDORF, Iowa — Canadian Pacific has agreed to pay the city of Bettendorf $3 million to address the community’s concerns over increased traffic resulting from its planned merger with Kansas City Southern.
The Quad Cities Times reports that the agreement — which is subject to Surface Transportation Board approval of the merger — was agreed to by the city on Tuesday night. About $1.5 million would be used to improve grade crossings to allow for “quiet zones,” in the city, which would allow trains to pass without sounding their horns at crossings. The city can decide how to use the remaining funds to mitigate the impact of a projected increase from eight to 22 trains daily.
City Attorney Chris Curran called the agreement “the best deal we feel we could get.”
The agreement calls for Bettendorf to receive the funds within 60 days of STB approval of the merger.
The neighboring communities of Davenport and LeClaire are still in negotiations with CP.
Similar negotiations are taking place elsewhere. The Coalition to Stop CPKC, a group of eight Chicago suburbs, has said it received a $10 million offer from CP. The communities are seeking more than $9 billion for mitigation [see “Chicago suburbs seek $9.5 billion …,” Trains News Wire, March 1, 2022].
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