By Lori D. Clark and Donita Polly

SIUC students and Carbondale residents who ride the Chicago to Carbondale Illini Amtrak route need worry no longer about its demise, city and state officials say. But riders can expect a 10-percent increase in fares and a loss of one daily round trip.

A plan proposed by Governor Jim Edgar and endorsed by an eight-member legislative task force on Amtrak and a vote by the Illinois House of Representatives saved four Amtrak routes, including the Illini route, from being cut.

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Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said the house passed a special appropriations bill Wednesday that would maintain the routes through July 1.

He said the governor’s plan provides for a $2.5-million subsidy to fund the routes through July 1 and increases state funding to a total of $6.5 million for state fiscal year 1997. He said the bill will still have to pass the Illinois Senate.

The governor said he’ll sign the bill, and when his appropriations are set, he will support the funding in next year’s budget, Bost said.

One part of the governor’s plan to save the train routes and guarantee long-term service of the routes is a 10-percent fare increase, which would add an estimated $500,000 in revenues.

Also, three of the routes being saved will be cut back from seven daily round trips to six, which is estimated to save $300,000 in fiscal year 1997.

Carbondale City manager Jeff Doherty said he expected some cuts in Amtrak services, but he expected the Illini route to be cut from seven days a week to five days a week, not six.

Another part of Edgar’s plan stipulates that communities supported by the state-supported Amtrak trains share the cost of operating and maintaining stations or train stops and cost cutting at stations.

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According to the plan, local communities would contribute a total of $400,000 for fiscal year 1997 and $800,000 for fiscal year 1999.

Although Carbondale officials said they are pleased with the continuation of the route, they said there is still cause for concern.

Doherty said he is concerned that the state will require local communities to help fund Amtrak operations and those stations within the community.

Doherty said there are questions as to what amount Carbondale might be expected to pay.

Another concern is we don’t think it’s fair that Carbondale would be expected to be burdened with the total cost when it serves as a regional service, he said.

Carbondale Chamber of Commerce President Rebecca Whittington said the governor’s decision came quicker than she expected. She said she believes that is a direct result of the effort the community put into saving the route.

I’m very encouraged that this came so quickly after our meeting with the governor, she said. It underscores how seriously he took the message.

However, Whittington said citizens and students need to continue their support of the route because there are concerns at what the final bill may look like.

The vote has not been taken, she said. The ink is not dry. A lot could happen during that time period.

SIU President Ted Sanders said the announcement to continue the Illini route is a positive step.

I think it’s very good news, Sanders said. I would think it has a very good chance of passing (the legislature).