A blog for better streets and public spaces in Portland, Maine.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Downeaster extension to Freeport, Brunswick funded; work to begin immediately

The White House press office has announced the projects that will receive funding for high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects through the stimulus program. Here's the rundown for the Northeast - Maine will receive $35 million to extend the Downeaster north to Brunswick, with an intermediate stop in Freeport, on rehabilitated tracks.

According to this schedule, the work should be finished by the spring of 2012.

Maine had also put in a separate request to speed travel times on the existing Portland-to-Boston route, as well as several other rail upgrades in other parts of the state, but it now seems unlikely that those projects would be funded from the stimulus.

Elsewhere, the feds will give Florida $1.25 billion to initiate a fast train between Orlando and Tampa, and $2.3 billion to get California's ambitious bullet train network off the ground.

Tom Bell has a story about the grant, with local reactions in Brunswick, in today's Press Herald.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't bet the farm on this unless or until the toothless Obama administration finally delivers on its promises. Lotsa talk from this guy, not so much action. And, as an aside: none of this promised money actually exists anymore. But we can certainly hope something gets built before the the illusion gives out.