Obama’s FY2013 request would immediately help intercity trains and transit

The Obama Administration released a Fiscal Year 2013 budget request that includes an immediate $6 billion transfusion of funding for Amtrak and high-speed rail in 2012, along with a long-term investment of $47.09 billion over the next six years through the end of 2018.

NARP issued a statement Monday applauding the announcement.

If enacted by Congress, the budget would benefit not only intercity passenger rail, but immediately move forward transit rail and bus projects across the country, including:

San Jose, California; Silicon Valley Berryessa Commuter Rail Extension Project: The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) proposes to build an extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) heavy rail system from Fremont to Berryessa Road in San Jose.

Portland, Oregon; Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project: The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) proposes to construct a double-track light rail transit (LRT) extension of the existing Yellow Line from the downtown Portland transit mall across the Willamette River, to southeast Portland, the city of Milwaukie, and urbanized areas of Clackamas County.

Salt Lake County, Utah; Draper Light Rail Transit Corridor: Utah Transit Authority (UTA) proposes to construct the Draper Transit Corridor light rail transit (LRT) extension to the existing North-South TRAX LRT line. The project would operate primarily in existing and abandoned railroad rights-of-way between the City of Sandy and the City of Draper and run parallel to Interstate 15 (I-15), the primary transportation link between Salt Lake City, the University of Utah, Murray, Sandy, and Draper.

Mesa, Arizona; Central Mesa Light Rail Extension: Valley Metro Rail Inc. (METRO) proposes to build an extension of the existing Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail Transit (LRT) line from its eastern terminus at Sycamore and Main Streets in west Mesa to a new terminus at Mesa Drive and Main Street in central Mesa. New atgrade stations would be constructed in the median of Main Street at Alma School Road, Country Club Road, Center Street and Mesa Drive.

Charlotte, North Carolina, LYNX Blue Line Extension (Northeast Corridor): The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) proposed the construction of a new light rail transit line that would extend from Uptown Charlotte, the region’s central business district, northeast to the US 29 interchange and the University of North Carolina – Charlotte campus. Commuters along the I-85/US 29 corridor have suffered through increasing congestion that population increases and economic development are expected to only make worse.