FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES HIGH-SEED RAIL GRANTS:

Colorado has received $400,000 and Vermont $500,000 under the Federal Railroad Administration’s  High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail  Program grant program funded from fiscal year 2009 appropriations. Colorado will use its funds to develop a state rail plan, a prerequisite for receiving additional  intercity passenger rail funding. Vermont will conduct a study of a proposed rerouting of Amtrak Ethan Allen service between  VT, and Albany, NY, which would result in additional cities receiving rail service. Federal Railroad Administration’s   has now released more than $183 million for the  program, the significant portion of which comes from the USA President  Administration’s unprecedented $8 billion down payment for the creation of a national network of interconnected high-speed rail corridors in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. (US DOT - posted 8/06)