Northeast Corridor Improvement Plan Would Speed Up Rail Connections

The Northeast Corridor Commission has released a 15-year plan to upgrade and improve the Northeast rail corridor that "proposes to speed Acela travel times from New York City to Washington, D.C. by 26 minutes, to Boston by 28 minutes, and to New Haven, Conn. by 25 minutes" and, when complete, "increase daily Amtrak service by 33% and add 60 million new rail trips each year." As reported by Lillianna Byington and Hadriana Lowenkron, the proposal, developed by federal rail agencies, Amtrak, and state governments, "would support more than 150 projects along the corridor." 

The Commission "has identified several pots of money that could be used for the plan, including funds for the Gateway Program between New York and New Jersey. Of the plan’s total cost, $100 billion is unfunded and the coalition proposes that the federal government jointly cover it with states." One possible funding source is the $66 billion allocated to passenger and freight rail in the bipartisan infrastructure framework recently agreed on by senators and the Biden administration.

"The plan would also address accessibility and upgrading facilities to meet Americans With Disabilities Act requirements, Kevin Corbett, President and CEO of NJ Transit and an NEC Commission co-chair said."