Hotline #96 - July 23, 1999

S.1144, the bill to give states flexibility to spend some TEA-21 money on intercity passenger rail, is up to 16 sponsors this week, with the addition of Collins (R.-Me.) and DeWine (R.-Ohio).

The Inspector General of the DOT released a report on July 21 as an update on Amtrak's financial situation. It said the outlook is improving slowly, but that Amtrak could still miss the deadline of no federal operating support by the end of 2002. The report said that one major potential reason for missing the deadline would be if there are any significant delays to the Boston high-speed project. The report praises Amtrak's recent efforts at marketing, contracting out commissaries, and creating new businesses, such as an express package delivery service. A similar report -- but characteristically more negative in tone -- was released by the General Accounting Office on July 20.

The Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved a measure giving the Fort Worth Transportation Authority the right to begin condemning land just east of the Amtrak station, on July 19. The transit agency wants some of this land as part of a project for an intermodal terminal closer to downtown. However, there are serious concerns about track capacity and layout at the new location, and NARP has been working to get Amtrak more involved in the process.

The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin released a report saying capital costs for a light-rail system in that city would be $408 million. However, that does not include right-of-way acquisition. Austin voters will be asked to approve such a project sometime in the next three years.

The board of Orange County, Fla., tentatively agreed on July 20 to help fund the Lynx light rail project for the Orlando area. The measure was passed by only one vote. There was strong NIMBY opposition, much of it from a neighborhood association near the proposed route. Other local agreements need to be firmed up soon for the Lynx project to meet a Federal Transit Administration deadline.

The City Commission and Chamber of Commerce in Winter Park, Fla., are considering a $1.1-million redevelopment plan for the Amtrak station, which is owned by the city. The plan would have the century-old station razed and replaced with a new historic-looking structure, and would redevelop the adjacent Central Park.

Governor Almond of Rhode Island organized a ceremony July 19 to celebrate the fact that the Federal Highway Administration will not require an environmental review for a new train station at Warwick. The station would connect Amtrak's Northeast Corridor with growing T. F. Green Airport, which serves Providence. The station will be just 1,570 feet from the airport terminal, about three-tenths of a mile. A people mover will connect the two. The project will cost $30 million and will open late in 2001.

The Great American Station Foundation this week released its annual list of the "top ten threatened stations." They include seven used by Amtrak -- Elkhart, Ind.; East Glacier Park, Mont.; Minot, N.Dak.; Raton, N.Mex.; Sanderson, Tex.; Petersburg, Va.; and Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

Massachusetts officials say they are just one step away from killing the proposed Greenbush commuter rail line south of Boston, due to intense opposition from a group of NIMBY's there. The final blow would come if the NIMBY's succeed in convincing the Massachusetts Historical Commission that a $200 million tunnel under Hingham Square is needed.