The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission voted down a proposal for the state to study proposed bus routes connecting Peoria to passenger rail stations.  The measure to have the Illinois Department of Transportation study the routes failed eight to seven.  Board Chairman Mike Phelan voted against the study.  He says Peoria should be connected by train to surrounding communities:

“We need rail, but we don’t want a bus as an option,” Phelan says.

“We just can’t encourage people to drive, get on a bus and get on a train, it just doesn’t make good sense.”

Phelan says Peoria has been overlooked for passenger rail while the Quad Cities, Rockford and other areas are using the service. He says Tri-County officials hope to communicate the need for Peoria rail to local and state representatives during its legislative breakfast next month.