“Imagine boarding a train in the center of a city. No racing to an airport and across a terminal, no delays, no sitting on the tarmac, no lost luggage, no taking off your shoes. Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination. Imagine what a great project that would be to rebuild America.” - President Obama, April 16, 2009, announcing rail funding as part of American Reinvestment & Recovery Act.
“[W]e can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the Interstate Highway System, our nation has always been built to compete. There's no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.” - President Obama, Jan. 27, 2010, State of the Union address.
In 2009, the Obama administration made an historic, unprecedented commitment to revitalizing rail in the United States, securing more than $8 billion to invest in high-speed intercity rail and Amtrak.
NERC has seized upon this important opportunity by identifying and supporting needed federal rail investments in New England (see 3/27/09 letter to FRA and 8/24/09 letter to FRA) and by urging greater coordination among the New England states in advancing a regional rail vision and plan (see 6/10/09 letter to Governors and 7/31/09 letter to Governors). NERC is pleased that the New England states have developed a preliminary regional vision, and looks forward to working with the states to continue to refine and to implement that vision.
NERC also believes the Obama administration’s initial commitment of funds to high-speed and intercity rail is a strong start, but must be viewed as a down-payment toward building a truly integrated rail system for the nation and New England. NERC is advocating for further, additional federal funding to sustain this effort (see 10/26/09 letter to Congressional conference committee). To learn about ongoing efforts by other organizations across the nation to increase funding, visit www.FourBillion.com.
NERC is also advocating for more rail funding at the state level in New England (see Yes on Question 3).
NERC supports the Public Transportation Preservation Act (see letters to Senators Dodd, Whitehouse, and Reed; all New England Senators; and all New England Representatives).