Davenport Iowa USA - Local representatives have no leverage to negotiate with Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads or halt progress.
 
Upgraded crossings and an overpass to the water treatment plant will not mitigate future issues despite impact studies.
 
Impacts of trains predicted by CP are unreliable because of how railroads operate, and Canada/Mexico/US economic unpredictability.
 
To see the future, drive to Dewitt and look at the Union Pacific railroad.
 
That "land bridge" connects the container port in Long Beach, California, to points east of here including Europe.
 
It also includes double and triple tracks to facilitate the flow and speed of trains.
 
A new super port is being constructed on the West Coast of Mexico to compete with Long Beach.
 
Mexican National railroad will hand off mile-long container trains to its only connection north, the CPKC.
 
There are positives regarding the CPKC merger internationally, but not for Scott County.
 
Unfortunately, the proximity of its track to the river, the width of its right-of-way, and the topography of Davenport and towns up and down the river make it largely impossible to go over or under the tracks.
 
In the long run, building a new through-line bypassing Muscatine, Scott, and Clinton counties is the only solution.
 
It is very doable and not unprecedented by other recent large railroad construction projects.
 
However, it will take our state and federal representatives to advocate it, Republicans Grassley, Ernst, Miller-Meeks, and Reynolds might consider helping eastern Iowa.
 
Paul Venaglia.