![]() |
![]() |
DOT 108-08
Contact: Steve Kulm or Rob Kulat
Tel.: (202) 493-6024
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Ambitious State Proposals to
Improve Intercity Passenger Rail Service
Compete for Federal Funding Under New DOT Grant Program
Twenty-five forward-thinking proposals from 22 states to improve intercity
passenger rail service and help relieve traffic congestion in many regions of
the Nation will compete for $30 million in federal funding under a new Bush
Administration grant program, announced U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E.
Peters today.
“Our goal is to achieve long-term improvements in intercity passenger rail
service by supporting state investments that get real results,” said Secretary
Peters. She said the Department is currently reviewing the proposals and will
determine final grant awards in September.
Secretary Peters explained that the state proposals received are generally
designed to improve the reliability of intercity passenger rail, relieve highway
congestion, and increase rail capacity. Some examples of proposed projects
include installing advanced signaling systems to increase track speeds,
reconfiguring track junctions to enhance operational efficiency, and
constructing additional main line track to keep trains moving. Most of the grant
applications seek to improve existing passenger rail routes while a few involve
planning activities for the creation of an entirely new service. Each federal
grant awarded will require a 50-50 funding match, she said.
The Federal Railroad Administration will evaluate each proposal for key program
priorities such as inclusion of intercity passenger rail in state plans to
address congestion and a project’s ability to reduce travel times, increase
service frequency, or enhance service quality. And, since some projects also
will benefit the operations of private freight railroads on whose tracks
passenger trains primarily run, a commitment by the host railroad to improve
on-time performance will be a major consideration in evaluating proposals, said
the Secretary.
Secretary Peters said that the Bush Administration strongly supports a greater
role by states in deciding where and how intercity passenger rail is operated
while focusing federal investments on capital projects. She noted that between
1996 and 2006, ridership on state-supported intercity rail routes grew by 88
percent, far more than the 17 percent increase on all other routes combined.
The Bush Administration called for creation of this first-ever federal-state
funding partnership as part of its long standing intercity passenger rail reform
effort, and is requesting $100 million for this grant program in its proposed FY
2009 budget.
For more information,
http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/1954.
# # #