New FRA program to facilitate development of intercity passenger rail corridors

[marmar]

New FRA program to facilitate development of intercity passenger rail corridors
May 16, 2022

The Corridor Identification and Development Program will guide federal investment and technical assistance toward new and enhanced passenger rail corridors.




The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) established the Corridor Identification and Development (ID) Program that will establish a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects and guide where investments and technical assistance are applied. FRA says this pipeline will allow for these projects “to be implemented faster and with greater coordination than ever before.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in November 2021 directed the Corridor ID Program be established within 180 days of the law’s enactment. FRA explains the program gives public entities a formal mechanism to partner with FRA to develop proposals that will expand, enhance or restore passenger rail service in their communities. FRA is required to submit a project pipeline report to Congress within a year of the program being established, which will be updated by Feb. 1 in the subsequent years.

"Americans deserve what people in many other countries currently benefit from: a world-class rail system that allows you to get where you need to go quickly and affordably, while reducing traffic and pollution on our roads," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "In launching the Corridor Identification and Development Program, which was made possible thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are taking a major step to transform America's passenger rail network and connect our smallest towns and our biggest cities with great train service."

FRA can authorize up to five percent of the available funding for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grants program for the Corridor ID Program. FRA has made $1.8 billion available. .............(more)

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/article/21267749/new-fra-program-to-facilitate-development-of-intercity-passenger-rail-corridors