That will reduce traffic delays and help ensure that first responders can get where they need to go. The single biggest grant - nearly $202 million - will help eliminate seven rail crossings in California as part of the larger project to build a high-speed rail line in that state. That 17-year journey has been filled with obstacles and frustration - but also moments of joy, where local champions and national advocates were able to come together around the vision of a more connected Gulf Coast region,” Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews said. “We’ve been fighting to return passenger trains to the Gulf Coast since it was knocked offline by Hurricane Katrina. The grant should make it possible to restore passenger service to the Gulf Coast after Amtrak reached an agreement with CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads last year to clear the way for passenger trains to resume operating on the tracks the freight railroads own. “Restoring passenger rail service will create jobs, improve quality of life, and offer a convenient travel option for tourists, contributing to our region’s economic growth and vitality.” Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement. “This is a significant milestone, representing years of dedicated efforts to reconnect our communities after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina,” Sen. The White House is also saying that a possible government shutdown because of House Republicans would undermine railway safety. President Joe Biden has ordered federal agencies to hold the train’s operator Norfolk Southern accountable for the crash, but a package of proposed rail safety reforms has stalled in the Senate where the bill is still awaiting a vote. Railroad safety has become a key concern nationwide ever since a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, in February. The money is funding 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. “These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Biden administration announced Monday that it has awarded more than $1.4 billion to projects that improve railway safety and boost capacity, with roughly $1 billion of the money coming from the 2021 infrastructure law.
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