Latest news with #CorridorIdentificationandDevelopmentProgram
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ND Legislature allocates $150,000 for passenger rail service project
May 17—JAMESTOWN — The North Dakota Legislature allocated $150,000 for the creation of a service development plan to restore passenger rail service from Chicago to Seattle. Dave Strohmaier, chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, said the $150,000 will be part of a new $11 million grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration. As part of the agreement, $1.1 million is needed to match the federal dollars. Strohmaier said on Wednesday, May 14, that North Dakota is the only state that has allocated funding for the $11 million grant agreement. He said a few states' legislatures are still in session and working on their budgets. "The Rail Authority is kicking off a capital campaign to close the gap on the balance of the dollars we need to move forward," he said. Strohmaier said about another $1 million is needed for the match of the federal dollars. He said the route for passenger rail service would go through eight states. The Federal Railroad Administration awarded a $500,000 grant from its Corridor Identification and Development Program to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to restore passenger rail service on the former North Coast Hiawatha Chicago to Seattle route, which is known as the Big Sky North Coast Corridor. Passenger rail projects in Amtrak's North Coast Hiawatha are overseen by the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. The Big Sky North Coast Corridor would go through eight states from Chicago to Seattle, including southern Montana and North Dakota. The route would go through Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, Dickinson and Medora. The concept of high-performance rail includes both freight and passenger operations, The Jamestown Sun reported in March. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is developing a route that would include two trains in each direction daily, ensuring that every community with a stop has at least one daylight train. Sen. Terry Wanzek, R-Jamestown, said allocating the $150,000 to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority gives the state the ability to participate in the planning of the passenger rail route. "If we didn't participate, a plan could be developed and we might not have a say in whether they stop in Jamestown, Medora, Bismarck and Fargo or anywhere else," he said. Rep. Craig Headland, R-Montpelier, said the passenger rail route going through North Dakota will help with tourism. He said tourism is the third-leading industry in the state. "I think it would enhance what we are trying to create here in North Dakota," he said. Headland said the passenger rail route could help get out-of-state visitors to stop in Jamestown, Bismarck or Medora. "I think it would be used," he said. "I just think it would be a big boost." Jamestown City Councilman David Steele said he hasn't heard any negative comments about the passenger rail route going through Jamestown. "Everybody has been positive wishing it was done tomorrow or yesterday," he said. Steele said the passenger trains would be great for tourism for all communities along the route. "We just need to make the connections with the public and what the advantages would be to having passenger rail," he said. Strohmaier said the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is in the process of completing the first step of the Corridor Identification and Development Program. "We're coming up with a scope schedule and budget for creation of a service development plan for the route," he said. The service development plan results in a corridor project inventory that identifies the capital projects necessary to achieve the proposed service, according to the Federal Railroad Administration's document on providing a scope of work framework for creating a service development plan. Strohmaier said the goal is to have the passenger rail service starting in the early to mid-2030s. He said it will take about two to three years to finish the service development plan. "That gets us up to the point of step three, which is the final step in this program, and that's when we begin preliminary engineering and environmental analysis," he said. "That's going to be another probably couple-year-long exercise to do all of that engineering and so that that gets you five or six years into this." Strohmaier said the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority also will need to think about the fabrication of the trains. "We're going to have to start relatively soon thinking about how to get an order lined up so that when we finish all of the planning, all the infrastructure investment, we'll actually have the trains ready," he said. After the planning work is done, he said the groundwork can begin. "That could be double tracking," Strohmaier said. "It could be the reestablishment of stations themselves, which can run the gamut from pretty simple to much more elaborate based on what a community wants." The Federal Railroad Administration will make the final decision on the locations when approving the service development plan for the route. For more information about the Corridor Identification and Development Program and the Big Sky Rail Authority, visit .
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DOT saves taxpayers over $60M by terminating Texas high-speed rail contract
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday that it will save American taxpayers over $60 million by ending a grant to help fund a high-speed rail project in Texas. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made the announcement, saying an agreement between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Amtrak to terminate the $63.9 million grant had been reached. The grant was awarded to Amtrak under the Corridor Identification and Development Program for the Amtrak Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor, previously known as the Texas Central Railway project. "I am pleased to announce that FRA and Amtrak are in agreement that underwriting this project is a waste of taxpayer funds and a distraction from Amtrak's core mission of improving its existing subpar services," Duffy said. "If the private sector believes this project is feasible, they should carry the pre-construction work forward, rather than relying on Amtrak and the American taxpayer to bail them out. My department will continue to look for every opportunity to save federal dollars and prioritize efficiencies." Amtrak Announces 'Floridian' Train With 2-Day Route, Sparking Reactions On Social Media The Texas Central Railway project was originally announced as a private venture, but its cost estimates increased dramatically, and the project became dependent on federal dollars and Amtrak for its development. Read On The Fox News App DOT said the capital cost for the project is believed to be more than $40 billion, adding that the price makes construction unrealistic. The cost also makes the project a risky venture for taxpayers. Amtrak has struggled with operating deficits, though ridership has recovered since the pandemic. 3 Family Members Struck And Killed By Amtrak Train Near Philadelphia: Police The main rail company in the U.S. has also experienced operational challenges, including the loss of its Horizon coach fleet to corrosion and delays in the Northeast Corridor. FRA has made fixing Amtrak's issues a top priority. Amtrak, under the Biden administration, considered massive loans underwritten by the U.S. government, as well as grants, to be able to take on construction activities, DOT said. Walking away from the Texas project allows Amtrak to focus on much-needed improvements to be more reliable to its riders, according to the DOT. Transportation Sec Sean Duffy Slams Blue-state Governor, Says Criminals 'Continue To Terrorize' City Residents "Connecting Dallas and Houston remains one of the more exciting opportunities for new passenger rail in the United States," FRA Chief Counsel Kyle Fields said. "Today's announcement reflects a recognition by Amtrak and FRA that federalizing the Texas Central Railway proposal is not the best use of taxpayer funding." Amtrak did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter. According to the DOT, the FRA will continue to seek out new rail projects. The $60 million saved by terminating the project will be reallocated for other projects that "support safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation," the DOT article source: DOT saves taxpayers over $60M by terminating Texas high-speed rail contract
Fox News
15-04-2025
- Business
- Fox News
DOT saves taxpayers over $60M by terminating Texas high-speed rail contract
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday that it will save American taxpayers over $60 million by ending a grant to help fund a high-speed rail project in Texas. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made the announcement, saying an agreement between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Amtrak to terminate the $63.9 million grant had been reached. The grant was awarded to Amtrak under the Corridor Identification and Development Program for the Amtrak Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor, previously known as the Texas Central Railway project. "I am pleased to announce that FRA and Amtrak are in agreement that underwriting this project is a waste of taxpayer funds and a distraction from Amtrak's core mission of improving its existing subpar services," Duffy said. "If the private sector believes this project is feasible, they should carry the pre-construction work forward, rather than relying on Amtrak and the American taxpayer to bail them out. My department will continue to look for every opportunity to save federal dollars and prioritize efficiencies." The Texas Central Railway project was originally announced as a private venture, but its cost estimates increased dramatically, and the project became dependent on federal dollars and Amtrak for its development. DOT said the capital cost for the project is believed to be more than $40 billion, adding that the price makes construction unrealistic. The cost also makes the project a risky venture for taxpayers. Amtrak has struggled with operating deficits, though ridership has recovered since the pandemic. The main rail company in the U.S. has also experienced operational challenges, including the loss of its Horizon coach fleet to corrosion and delays in the Northeast Corridor. FRA has made fixing Amtrak's issues a top priority. Amtrak, under the Biden administration, considered massive loans underwritten by the U.S. government, as well as grants, to be able to take on construction activities, DOT said. Walking away from the Texas project allows Amtrak to focus on much-needed improvements to be more reliable to its riders, according to the DOT. "Connecting Dallas and Houston remains one of the more exciting opportunities for new passenger rail in the United States," FRA Chief Counsel Kyle Fields said. "Today's announcement reflects a recognition by Amtrak and FRA that federalizing the Texas Central Railway proposal is not the best use of taxpayer funding." Amtrak did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter. According to the DOT, the FRA will continue to seek out new rail projects. The $60 million saved by terminating the project will be reallocated for other projects that "support safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation," the DOT added.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Yahoo
Passenger rail service with stop in Jamestown could begin in 8 to 10 years
Mar. 1—JAMESTOWN — Passenger rail service from Chicago to Seattle, which includes a stop in Jamestown, could begin in eight to 10 years, according to Dave Strohmaier, chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. Strohmaier said the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is in the process of developing a project scope and budget to restore passenger rail service from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest. "We hope to finish the scoping phase later this spring, April or May," he said. He said service development planning will take about 18 to 24 months and then a final design will be made for the passenger rail service project. He said construction on the project could begin in about three years. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority held a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27, to discuss the restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha Chicago to Seattle route. Local officials and city of Jamestown staff attended the meeting that was held online at City Hall. "We look at this as kind of a transformative opportunity for our community and for the state of North Dakota," Councilman David Steele said, referring to Jamestown being a stop on the route. "I think we would have strong community support." The Federal Railroad Administration awarded a $ 500,000 grant from its Corridor Identification and Development Program to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to restore passenger rail service on the former North Coast Hiawatha Chicago to Seattle route, which is known as the Big Sky North Coast Corridor. Passenger rail projects in Amtrak's North Coast Hiawatha are overseen by the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. The grant that the authority is working under is not in jeopardy with the pause in federal grants, said Becky Rosenleaf, a member of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority's consulting team for corridor identification. The Big Sky North Coast Corridor would go through eight states from Chicago to Seattle, including southern Montana and North Dakota. The route would go through Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck and Dickinson. "It's important to lay out, in our estimation, a bold vision for what passenger rail in the 21st century can look like and first and foremost for us this means high-performance rail," Strohmaier said. He said the concept of high-performance rail includes both freight and passenger operations. "We're looking at how do we enhance the financial viability of this route and of this service," he said. "One way to do that is looking at ways to bring a more entrepreneurial spirit to the table, creative spirit that's looking for ways to enhance revenue, which might be reinstating something like small parcel delivery that once existed in conjunction with passenger trains in this nation." Strohmaier said the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is developing a route that would include two trains in each direction daily, ensuring that every community with a stop has at least one daylight train. He said 21st century trains would be used on the route and the authority is looking at the feasibility of and possibility of trains with hydrogen fuel cells. The No. 1 factor in determining locations for train stations is the local initiative and commitment and cooperation between surrounding areas, said Dan Bucks, a citizen volunteer for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. "I would urge communities that are interested in train stations to think of the rail line not simply as the tracks and the facilities that would be in their community ... but rather ... that it is a corridor of opportunity that stretches depending on terrain up to 90 miles away either direction from your train station," he said. He said the locations would need to show the socio-economic benefits of the service and the ridership relative to population needs to be high. The Federal Railroad Administration will make the final decision on the locations when approving the service development plan for the route. Bucks said likely sites would include larger cities that have a wide variety of trade and service areas, including retail, medical, education, cultural opportunities and other professional services. "Gateways to major destinations such as national parks, historic rail station locations will be looked at again as likely sites for stations," he said. "... Locations are needed to maintain the trains, to refuel them, to resupply the items that are used in transit along the route. Those locations with the railyards and the appropriate supply connections are also going to be likely sites." He said communities committed to using passenger rail to develop opportunities for their citizens and the surrounding area will increase their likelihood of being selected as a location for a stop. Bucks said the train stations will be about 50 miles apart on average. The stops could be closer if there are gateways to different areas such as Yellowstone National Park. He also said the route has potential to develop sub-theme bison and native cultures. "There are several communities that have a connection to bison-related destinations along this route," he said. Steele said Jamestown is home of the World's Largest Buffalo monument and has several smaller communities in the surrounding area. Steele said one issue in Jamestown includes four railway crossings being close together in the center of the city. He said the concern with that would be the length of time a train would be stopped and blocking the crossings. "We have very limited access for emergency vehicles if a train is on our tracks blocking the crossings," he said. "We do have an aged viaduct that is not capable of large safety equipment to travel, and we do not have an overpass to go over the tracks." Bucks said communities should look at eliminating grade crossings to ensure a smoother flow of traffic. Grade crossing elimination is the process of removing a point where a road intersects with a railroad track at the same level. Strohmaier said there won't be mile-long passenger trains. "That would be one of the goals to try to achieve, and that is trains that are stopped at a station are not simultaneously blocking crossings," he said. He said the length of a train stop would depend on a number of variables, including if it is a refueling station and a location for small-parcel delivery. Another issue for the city of Jamestown includes not having a train depot, Steele said. "We would have to reestablish a building site and create a building itself," he said. He said the city's preference is to have a station in downtown Jamestown. He said discussions have been held to have more than one service for the station. "We don't have a real bus station in town so maybe a combination of the two would work ... depending on probably location," he said. "Opportunities would probably be for rental car services and things like that." Strohmaier said communities wanting a stop on the route should update any transportation planning documents with a reference to the passenger rail service. "For you all out there who are planners and going after grant funds, you know full well the importance of being able to connect and create a nexus between your ask and some planning that you've done already," he said. He also said mixed-use and transit-oriented development is important for communities. "Some of the tools that you can use for this would be urban renewal districts, tax increment finance districts, bringing those financial instruments to bear to not just create a station or a platform where you get on and off a train, but creating a hub of activity that supports commercial, residential and retail development before we move on," he said. Strohmaier said communities should contact their state and congressional officials to get support for the project. He said $200,000 from each state will be needed to secure a 10% nonfederal match grant for the service development phase.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority chooses new leaders
The group working toward the restoration of passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia has a new leader. Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz was unanimously chosen by the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority during a reorganizational meeting Monday to serve as the new chairwoman. Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz has been chosen as the new chairwoman of the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Moskowitz replaces Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach, whose two-year term at the helm of the authority came to a close. When the authority was established in 2022 it was decided that each county involved in the joint venture — Berks, Chester and Montgomery — would take turns leading the authority. 'I want to thank Christian for his leadership during these past few years,' Moskowitz said after being selected to her new post. 'I believe that our authority has set a new way for counties throughout the commonwealth to work across party lines to make sure we're doing what's right for the good of our residents. 'And I think that's something to be very proud of.' Montgomery County Commissioner Thomas DiBello was selected to serve as vice chairman. Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler was chosen to serve as treasurer, and Scott France, director of the Montgomery County Planning Commission, will serve as secretary. The authority meets virtually on the fourth Monday of each month, except in situations when it interferes with holidays. During the meeting, Thomas Frawley, executive director, said the authority has completed the first phase of a federal program that is providing a critical boost to the effort to restore train service and is on the verge of moving onto the second phase. The second phase of the Corridor Identification and Development Program includes the development of a service plan that would examine ridership and revenue forecasts, capital programming and an operational analysis. The service plan is just the beginning of what is likely to be a long process. Once the plan is complete, the next phase will include preliminary engineering to demonstrate to the authority whether the project is feasible. And if it clears that hurdle, the project will move onto the implementation phase that includes the final design. Also at the meeting, Frawley shared that Amtrak officials have reported an operating loss on its Reading-to-Pottstown-to-Philadelphia bus service. Amtrak began offering the route that makes two trips back and forth each day in June 2022. Ridership on those routes is expected to provide some insight into the demand for transportation services between the two cities. Frawley said the service is experiencing an annual operating loss of $260,000. 'We are working on different ideas to better promote and more efficiently operate the service,' he said. 'We are very happy to hear Amtrak and the bus operator have identified about $60,000 a year in operating cost saving, and the authority has been contributing marketing support through our various social media platforms.'
