The US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has recommended a vision to build a better and stronger Northeast Corridor (NEC) over the next 30 years, after four years of working with the Northeast states.
“The Department of Transportation believes that investing in this vision for the Northeast Corridor must happen—because rail does more than take us places; it provides us with opportunities and connects us to the future,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
NEC cannot meet the currently and future demands and the recommendation announced by the FRA includes the construction of new tracks along the Northeast Corridor, the realization of new intercity access to Philadelphia Airport, the provision of direct and frequent service to Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass. In addition it is important to increase, and in some cases doubling, the number of regional trains and providing up to five times more intercity trains.
While the recommendation made by FRA would grow the role of rail along the Northeast Corridor, it prioritizes bringing the current corridor back to good condition, or a state of good repair, first. With the corridor returned to good condition, the recommendation includes projects that will allow for even faster and more reliable service, along with more options for commuters and travelers. The recommendation is also projected to create 47,000 jobs each year, for 30 years.
Share on:
