(The following article appeared on The Clarion-Ledger website on October 20.)
JACKSON, Miss. — Amtrak can begin the process of restoring service through Mississippi between New Orleans and Sanford, Fla., now that President Bush has signed a five-year authorization of the rail service, says 4th District U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor.
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, which Bush signed into law last week, instructs Amtrak to report its plan to restore passenger rail service between New Orleans and Sanford, Fla.
“This is a big step in restoring the Sunset Limited route, which is so important to communities along the coast,” Taylor said in a news release.
One provision of the act is $1 million for Amtrak to conduct the study of the Sunset Limited route that was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. Amtrak must submit the report within nine months.
The act is a bipartisan effort to rebuild Amtrak and construct high-speed rail on high-density corridors across the nation. The House had considered legislation to reauthorize Amtrak for more than a decade, and Amtrak’s authorization had expired six years ago.
The act calls for the plan to include a projected timeline for restoring service, the costs associated with restoring the service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support the restoration of service. It instructs Amtrak to consult with representatives from the Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, railroad carriers whose tracks may be used for the service, rail passengers, rail labor, and others.