NOLA-to-Mobile rail project grant

Amtrak is expected to return passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast within two years with trains running between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announcing June 7 of a $33M grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to fund infrastructure and improvements for the service, which was suspended after Hurricane Katrina wrecked much of the rail line in 2005. “This is huge,” said John Robert Smith, chairman of Transportation for America and former mayor of Meridian, Miss., who has long pushed to restore the GC rail service. “This has been such a labor of commitment from so many people.” The grant, through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program, will go to the Southern Rail Commission, a 21-member group that promotes passenger rail service and seeks money to support its mission. The money will cover half the cost of the $65.9M rail line project, with other monies coming from investments and matching grants from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Amtrak. The commitments in Mississippi, estimated at $15M-plus, were also announced June 7. Mississippi has the most stops along the route: Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula. (Source: NOLA.com 06/08/19) Last year, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey rejected the plan, and the state is contributing no funds to roll Amtrak past Mobile. As a result, the train will not continue to Atmore, Ala., Pensacola and other parts of Florida using the federal funds announced Friday. (Source: NorthEscambia.com 06/07/19)