Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would invest $95 billion in passenger and freight rail.
The five-year $547 billion INVEST in America Act would provide funding for Amtrak, rail safety, and maintaining and expanding the passenger rail network. The rest of the funding would be used for bridges, roads, and transit.
“We need bold investments to deliver the robust national rail network our country needs, and the INVEST in America Act puts us on the right track,” Peter DeFazio (D-OR), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure chairman, said. “Rail is not only key to reducing congestion and connecting communities, it’s also necessary to our efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. We must start looking to rail as a central part of the solution to climate change and making it a more attractive option for travelers, just like other countries around the world have been doing for decades.”
Investment highlights include:
- Providing Amtrak with $32 billion over five years for investments, repairs, and expanding its network;
- Creating a $2.5 billion grade crossing separation grant program;
- Quadrupling Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program investment to $7 billion over five years; and
- Creating a $25 billion Passenger Rail Improvement, Modernization, and Expansion grant program.