The Biden administration announced Monday that it has awarded more than $1.4 billion to projects that improve railway safety and boost capacity, with much of the money coming from the 2021 infrastructure law.
“These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
The money is funding 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. Railroad safety has become a key concern nationwide ever since a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, in February. President Joe Biden has ordered federal agencies to hold the train’s operator Norfolk Southern accountable for the crash, but a package of proposed rail safety reforms has stalled in the Senate where the bill is still awaiting a vote. The White House is also saying that a possible government shutdown because of House Republicans would undermine railway safety.
The projects include track upgrades and bridge repairs, in addition to improving the connectivity among railways and making routes less vulnerable to extreme weather.
It’s a good start, now let’s keep that momentum with some new rail lines. Maybe even passenger rail. Come on.
Maybe even some high speed rails! Acela has been a huge success in the Northeast, but we need it to become actual high speed and there are so many other places that could benefit from similar service.
Let’s do a giant catapult and net situation to go from state to state.
yeet
Acela is absolutely awful. You’re spending anywhere from $100-300 more to get to DC from NYC like 20 minutes faster.
The only actual high speed portion of Acela is in MA, and the time savings from Boston to NYC is a bit more substantial, accordingly.
I managed to snag a $70 round trip ticket from DC to Boston, months in advance, during 2021. Only time I’ll probably ever justify taking it. As a nerd that likes trains, it was fun.