RTD CEO to offer plan to put new focus on Boulder-Longmont commuter rail line
The head of Denver’s Regional Transportation District says she will present a plan to the board within 60 days to advance work on a long-delayed commuter rail line to Boulder and Longmont, Colo., following a push from Gov. Jared Polis. KUSA-TV reports the plan from general manager and CEO Debra Johnson will likely call for the agency to use a portion of its FastTracks savings account — the funding stemming from a 2004 ballot initiative — to fund new studies of the Northwest Rail line. Polis told an RTD board meeting earlier this week that the current plan to build the line by “2042 is not a legitimate date for discussion” [see “Digest: Colorado governor says …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 10, 2021].
New Jersey DOT awards $29 million for freight rail projects
The New Jersey Department of Transportation has awarded 10 grants worth $29 million as part of its Freight Rail Assistance. The grants, ranging from $673,000 to $9.37 million, will go to the five railroads — Belvidere & Delaware; Conrail; Dover & Delaware (two grants); New York, Susquehanna & Western (two); and Raritan Central — and three other entities (Interstate Waste, Kinkisharyo International, and Morris County) to build or improve tracks, bridges and crossings. Details of the grants are available here. New Jersey DOT Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said in a press release that the projects “will strengthen our economy and ensure the safe and efficient movement of goods” and “provide critical upgrades to our transportation infrastructure.”
New York offering $87 million for rail, port projects
The state of New York is offering $87 million in state and federal funding for rail and port projects that will enhance the state’s “position as a global destination for commerce,” according to a press release from the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Projects funded through the state Department of Transportation’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program, administered by the New York State Department of Transportation, will be selected process including a cost-benefit analysis, compatibility with regional economic plans and other private and public investments, and the ability to enhance resilience and reduce climate risk. Eligible projects include track and bridge rehabilitation, yard, terminal, and siding construction, and grade crossing improvements. Applications are being accepted through April 22, 2021; more information is available here.
