Twenty-one years ago this April, the National Corridors Initiative was founded to advocate for investment in passenger rail in the United States.

Today, January 28, 2010, we celebrate along with millions of Americans the launching of the construction phase of President Barack Obama’s $8 billion-plus stimulus program for intercity rail, which the President has repeatedly described as a down payment on what is to come.

It is significant that in this politically contentious era, in a Washington where civility itself seems to belong on the Endangered Species list, a program with such broad bi-partisan support should emerge, at a time when we sorely need goals and objectives that can inspire and unite all Americans.

While many in the advocacy community will point out that $8 billion is just a fraction of what the People’s Republic of China, or France, or Spain, is spending each year on high speed intercity rail, we need to also remember that this is $8 billion more than we had before. Add in the additional Amtrak projects and the growing state financial support for rail, and suddenly more than $10 billion is being pumped into a jobs-creating program that is the kind of stimulus we need: unlike programs that give Americans money to go a buy yet another electronic device made off shore, this program will produce an asset that sticks around, enables commerce, and will build still more jobs on top of those used for construction and operation.

The web is filled with news today about this announcement, and we have included in this Extra Edition of Destination:Freedom a list of URLs connecting to as many of those articles and commentaries we can find; there will be more in our regular issue February 1.

In the meantime, though, thanks not only to President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden --- a long time rail advocate who has helped greatly in the cause over the past two decades --- but also, and especially, to the incredible staff at the Federal Railroad Administration --- Administrator Joe Szabo, Deputies Karen Rae and Mark Yachmetz, and others --- who worked inhuman hours since the rail program was first announced in January of last year to get this program up and running.

Now, let’s get to work on Stimulus I --- and begin the planning for Stimulus II. All that is at stake, is America’s future.

Special Amtrak Advisory
On Rail Stimulus Funds

President Obama and other administration officials were in various parts of the country today to announce nearly $8 billion in grant awards as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The awards are intended to lay the groundwork in developing 13 new, large-scale high-speed rail corridors across the country.

The grants are part of the president’s strategic long-term plan to build and sustain a comprehensive passenger rail program in the U.S. Nearly 60 percent of the $8 billion in funding will be invested by states in routes and services that are part of the current and future Amtrak system.

At 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, President and CEO Joe Boardman joined FRA Administrator Joe Szabo, Pennsylvania Deputy Transportation Secretary Toby Fauver and Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Marie to announce $485 million in passenger rail grants for the region, including $112 million on the Northeast Corridor.

Coupled with Amtrak’s $700 million in capital investments, the [Northeast Corridor] NEC will benefit from its largest program of upgrades in a decade.

Additionally, Szabo will travel to Chicago tomorrow where he will appear with Amtrak Chairman Tom Carper to discuss the $2.2 billion in grant awards for that region.

“These investments will result in higher operating speeds, reduced trip times, additional frequencies, improved facilities and greater reliability for at least 13 routes across our system,” said Boardman, “As I’ve said over and over, we have historic opportunities in front of us that we can only achieve by working together.”

Boardman also pointed out that funding will result in new services or service extensions, including an extension of Downeaster service to Brunswick, Maine, and development of the Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati corridor in Ohio.

As mentioned during his State of the Union address last night, President Obama traveled with Vice President Biden to Florida to announce that $1.25 billion will go to the state to develop a dedicated high-speed rail line connecting Orlando and Tampa. California will receive $2.25 billion for its own dedicated high-speed corridor.

Obama and Biden’s remarks focused on the many benefits of rail development including job creation, connectivity, economic development and energy efficiency.

“The awards to Florida and California are very exciting and we look forward to opportunities to work with those states on developing those systems,” said Boardman.

Projects to be funded by ARRA grants include station renovations, track improvements, right-of-way acquisition, and corridor planning. Investments will be made in a total of 31 states.