Council authorizes regional partners to pursue rail banking for abandoned corridor

The Windsor Heights City Council voted to authorize the Des Moines area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to pursue rail banking for a rail corridor under proposed abandonment, a step staff called necessary to preserve future transportation options.

AJ explained that rail banking is a federal process allowing a corridor to be preserved for future rail reactivation while enabling interim uses such as trails. Staff said the action authorizes those regional organizations to file a public‑use condition with the Surface Transportation Board and to begin negotiations; it does not obligate Windsor Heights to provide funding now, though survey, engineering and acquisition costs could arise later and would require separate approvals.

Council members described the authorization as a way to protect the corridor’s long‑term transportation value while leaving final uses and cost‑sharing arrangements to future processes. The council approved the letter of support/authorization on a roll call vote.