(The Associated Press circulated the following on March 3.)
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — State lawmakers have voted to purchase an abandoned southeastern Oklahoma rail line.
Members of the House General Government and Transportation Committee voted 8-5 on Monday to send the bill to the House floor for a vote.
Rep. Shane Jett of Tecumseh says he wants to revitalize a rail line in economically depressed areas of 5 southeastern Oklahoma counties its runs through. The line has been abandoned since 1991.
Jett says it would cost about $6 million to purchase the line from Union Pacific. Revitalizing it would cost between $20 million and $50 million more.
Opponents including Rep. Rex Duncan of Sand Springs say if reopening the rail line was a good idea it would already have been done by the private sector.