In a setback for supporters hoping to see passenger rail service return to Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey has opted not to commit state money to help reestablish a coastal Amtrak connection.

Ivey had through Wednesday to decide whether the state would make a $5.3 million pledge over the next three years to help restore Amtrak service between Mobile and New Orleans. On Thursday, her office released a statement saying she had opted against it.

That statement read, in full:

"I have carefully evaluated the impact of restoring passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans and the potential economic benefits it may produce. As a result of Alabama's growing economic and global footprint, the Port of Mobile continues to expand, while Alabama achieved a record level of exports in 2017, totaling $21.7 billion. Accordingly, consideration must also be given to the impact passenger rail service will have on the commercial and freight rail service that share the same track. It has become clear to me that, though some economic benefit may be realized by new passenger rail service, such service will have an outsized detrimental impact on other types of rail service.

"As we continue to address congestion on our surface transportation systems, both on our highways and rail system, I currently do not plan to provide limited state resources to passenger rail service. We have higher priority opportunities to address congestion on I-10 through the Mobile River Bridge project, expansion of the Port of Mobile and numerous highway projects around the state.

"I am hopeful that one day we may have the luxury of providing financial support for passenger rail service, but now is not the time when we have other challenges which must take priority."

The decision was criticized by Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, the Democratic candidate challenging Ivey's bid for election to a full-term. Maddox had previously called for Ivey to support the Amtrak effort. On Thursday he released a statement saying an opportunity had been missed:

"After exhaustive research and study, Governor Ivey's own appointees to the Southern Rail Commission recommended an investment that would vastly enhance Alabama's tourism industry for decades to come by creating new jobs and revenue for a 21st Century economy. This is not about passenger rail versus freight -- this is about the past versus the future. This decision continues Governor Ivey's pattern of outdated governing that keeps Alabama at or near the bottom in everything that matters. In missing this opportunity to position Alabama at the epicenter of passenger rail travel on the gulf coast, Governor Ivey proves that Alabama is not 'on the right track.'"

Ivey's stance appears to reflect concerns voiced by Jimmy Lyons, CEO of the Alabama State Port Authority, who has argued that passenger service would pose "major disruption" to the port's growing freight operations, which also make use of rail connections.

But not all area leaders are opposed to the idea. Just a day earlier, on Wednesday, Mobile Airport Authority Executive Director Chris Curry has said passenger rail service might dovetail with plans for an airport swap. On Wednesday, Curry announced at a study on the possibility of relocating commercial passenger service from Mobile Regional Airport to the Downtown Mobile Airport in the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley was feasible.

That process will take years and a master plan to make the change hasn't been drafted, let alone approved. But Curry said that if Brookley becomes a hub for air travelers, having a train station nearby would be an appealing concept.

"We have rail services that run through Brookley," Curry said. "It is feasible to assume we could have a substation or a main station" for passenger rail service.

Mobile City Councilman Levon Manzie, a rail supporter, said "the energy and the interest is there" for the return of rail service.

"You know we're disappointed," he said of Ivey's decision. "As an elected official I can understand having other priorities ... That would have been big for the city of Mobile, but I see this as a continuation of the conversation."

Manzie said he wasn't speaking officially for the council, but said he thought many Mobile leaders and others were of like mind. He said "those of us who are enthusiasts of the idea and feel the time has come" will continue to advocate on the issue and will look for other opportunities.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson's office released a statement along similar lines: "We appreciate the thoughtful consideration given by Governor Ivey to this project and we will continue to work closely with her Administration to find a solution," it said. "Passenger rail represents a great opportunity for Mobile, particularly with our expanding tourist economy and a revitalized downtown. If done right, we believe it can co-exist with commercial rail service vital to the port. Bottom line: We have more work to do to make it a reality. So, we will roll up our sleeves and continue to work closely with the State of Alabama, the Port of Mobile and with our neighboring communities along the Gulf Coast."

Rail backers describe the Mobile-New Orleans connection as a necessary step before other connections can be made, such as passenger rail service into Florida or north to Montgomery and Birmingham. The Gulf Breeze route connecting Mobile to Birmingham was shut down in 1995, and Gulf Coast service between Mobile and New Orleans ended with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Note: This story was updated at 8:10 p.m. with comment from Walt Maddox.