(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, August 18, 2022)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation today awarded over $233 million to 11 projects in 8 states to improve and modernize vital intercity passenger rail service. Funded by the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership Program), these investments will help replace bridges and tunnels along the Northeast Corridor in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut, each of which is more than 100 years old. Additional funds will increase the safety, reliability, and sustainability of rail infrastructure in California, Michigan, and Massachusetts and make needed improvements to the busiest train station in the Midwest: Chicago Union Station.
“From Amtrak on the East and West Coasts to commuter rail in cities across the country, Americans rely on intercity passenger rail to travel, get to work, and visit loved ones,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Partnership Program improves upon this safe, affordable, and environmentally-friendly mode of transportation and brings us closer to delivering the world-class passenger service Americans deserve.”
For decades, America’s rail network has lacked dedicated and sustained funding, resulting in too many rail assets in need of rehabilitation. Administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Partnership Program is essential to revitalizing rail assets and bringing railroad infrastructure to a state of good repair.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expands the funding, scope, and vision of FRA’s enhanced Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program. The new program builds on prior successes and increases funding to an unprecedented $7.2 billion annually for the next five years. This increase in funding will advance projects that expand and establish new intercity passenger rail services to more communities across the country. It will also retain its focus on upgrading existing services and will contribute more money for projects on the Northeast Corridor. FRA will make FY22 Partnership Program funds available through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) this Fall.
“For years, the Partnership Program has helped bring intercity passenger rail services to a state of good repair by reducing the maintenance backlog and ensuring Americans are connected to opportunity and each other,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the FRA now has the exciting opportunity to further this mission while making intercity passenger rail service available to even more communities.”
The complete list of awarded projects and full project descriptions can be found at the link above.