DOT's Bose: "The Partnership Program has helped bring... rail services to a state of good repair"

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The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the awarding of more than $233 million to 11 projects in eight states to aid in improvements and modernizations made to intercity passenger rail services.

The investments, funded by the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program, will help replace bridges and tunnels older than 100 years along the Northeast Corridor in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Connecticut, according to an Aug. 18 news release.

“From Amtrak on the east and west coasts to commuter rail in cities across the country, Americans rely on intercity passenger rail to travel, get to work and visit loved ones," U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in the release. "The Partnership Program improves upon this safe, affordable and environmentally-friendly mode of transportation and brings us closer to delivering the world-class passenger service Americans deserve.”

The Partnership Program, administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, is dedicated to revitalizing America's underserved and underfunded rail assets, bringing them to a proper state of repair, the release reported. The expansion of the Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program, was brought upon by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden.

“For years, the Partnership Program has helped bring intercity passenger rail services to a state of good repair by reducing the maintenance backlog and ensuring Americans are connected to opportunity and each other," FRA Administrator Amit Bose said in the release. "Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the FRA now has the exciting opportunity to further this mission while making intercity passenger rail service available to even more communities.”

According to the release, the program increases funding to an unprecedented total of $7.5 billion annually for five years. The funding will speed up the development of projects which expand and establish new intercity passenger rail services in communities across the U.S. This fall, the FRA will make funds from the FY22 Partnership Program available through a Notice of Funding Opportunity.