Cedar Rapids, IA
Stop on the proposed 17,000-mile maglev network. Next stop: Davenport, IA (64.3 mi).
About Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and the county seat. The population was 137,710 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 137,935 in 2025. making it the second-most populous city in Iowa.
Source: Wikipedia summary (full article). Population and facts as published there.
Cost breakdown (proposal-scale estimates — see math)
| Item | Basis | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal construction | Mid-size terminal (parametric range $1-2B) | $1.5B |
| Land acquisition | Regional factor 1× on $200M base | $200M |
| Track: Cedar Rapids → Davenport | 64.3 mi × $500M/mi | $32.15B |
| Annual operations (share) | Staffing, power, maintenance | $30M/yr |
| Stop total (excl. annual ops) | $33.85B |
Best terminal location (proposed)
The NewBo district near the former Union Station site. Cedar Rapids' NewBo district grew up around the old rail approaches with the Czech Village and downtown a short walk away. The active freight corridors through the city offer guideway right-of-way, and the site sits between the Quaker Oats plant and the downtown core.
Before / after
Aerial mock-up (illustrative, not an engineering rendering). Left: the proposed site today. Right: with the maglev terminal.
- Tipton, IA - Cedar County seat on the corridor
- West Liberty, IA - Muscatine County town on the route
- Durant, IA - small city on the US-6 corridor