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“President Obama and Vice President Biden’s vision for a national rail system will help ensure America is equipped to win the future with the fastest, safest and most efficient transportation network in the world. The investments we’re making today will help states across the country create jobs, spur economic development and boost manufacturing in their communities.”
– U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood

The Department’s Federal Railroad Administration selected 15 states and Amtrak to receive $2.02 billion for 22 high-speed intercity passenger rail projects as part of a nationwide network that will connect 80 percent of Americans to high-speed rail in 25 years. Highlights of the rail project include:

Amtrak – NEC Power, Signal, Track, Catenary Improvements – $450 million to boost capacity, reliability, and speed in one of the most heavily-traveled sections of the Northeast Corridor, creating a 24-mile segment of track capable of supporting train speeds up to 160-mph.

New York – NEC Harold Interlocking Amtrak Bypass Routes – $295 million to alleviate major delays for trains coming in and out of Manhattan with new routes that allow Amtrak trains to bypass the busiest passenger rail junction in the nation.

Maryland – NEC Bridge Replacement – $22 million for engineering and environmental work to replace the century-old Susquehanna River Bridge, which currently causes frequent delays for commuters due to the high volume of critical maintenance.

Illinois – Chicago – St. Louis Corridor – $186.3 million to construct upgrades on the Chicago – St. Louis Corridor between Dwight and Joliet, IL with trains operating at 110 mph for more than 220 miles of track. This investment will reduce trip times, enhance safety and add more seats on the corridor, increasing the number of people who can conveniently travel by train.

Missouri – Merchant’s Bridge Replacement – $13.5 million to advance the design of a new bridge over the Mississippi River on the Chicago to St. Louis Corridor, replacing a bridge built in the 1890s.

Department of Transportation Full Press Release

Tags: 2 billion, Amtrak, Chicago, Department of Transportation, Illinois, Maryland, Merchant's Bridge, Missouri, NEC, New York, Ray LaHood, Susquehanna River Bridge

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 at 11:27 am and is filed under Aging Infrastructure, Bridges, Democrat, Economic Stimulus, Employment, Funding, High Speed Rail, Jobs, National, Policy, Public Transportation, Rail, Technology, The Infra Blog, Transit . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.