‘More Than a Wish List’
RAILWAY AGE, JANUARY 2022 ISSUE: Amtrak’s plans for leveraging IIJA to modernize and expand service.
USDOT
ASLRRA to USDOT: Allow Greater Use of Tech, Skip Crew-Size Mandates
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) is among those who have submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s draft strategic framework.
USDOT Awards $241MM for Port Improvement Projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will distribute more than $241 million in grants to 25 port facility improvement projects under the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP); six are rail-related and will receive a total of $86.22 million.
USDOT Soliciting Comments on 2022-26 Strategy (Updated, Blaze Responds)
The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a Request for Comments (RFC) to help shape its strategic goals for 2022-26; the deadline is Dec. 17. Railway Age Contributing Editor Jim Blaze responds.
USDOT Officials Ride New Caltrain EMU
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation recently had a test ride of Caltrain’s Stadler-built KISS EMU (electric multiple-unit), which is now in the final stages of testing at Transportation Technology Center, Inc. in Pueblo, Colo.
Biden Administration Unveils U.S. Ports and Waterways Action Plan
H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, on Nov. 5 passed the House by a vote of 228 to 206. The measure had already passed the Senate and now awaits President Biden’s signature. Passage of the bill is good news for ports, waterways and offshore wind, providing $17.4 billion in funding for waterway and coastal infrastructure, inland waterway improvements and port infrastructure, which will benefit rail-served facilities.
California, USDOT Partner to Improve Supply Chain Infrastructure
The state of California and the U.S. Department of Transportation are teaming to modernize supply chain infrastructure and speed goods movement.
USDOT Releases Climate Adaptation, Resilience Plan
The U.S. Department of Transportation has published a climate action plan to ensure that “federally supported transportation infrastructure—as well as USDOT programs, policies and operations—both consider climate change impacts and incorporate adaptation and resilience solutions whenever possible.”
Federal Railroad Administrator Nominee Addresses Senate Committee
Amit Bose, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, took on questions about automated track inspection, crew sizes, hazardous materials transportation, and port congestion, among other topics, during a Sept. 22 hearing on his nomination by President Biden to be the next Federal Railroad Administrator.
First ‘INFRA Extra’ Projects Unveiled
Nationwide, 44 projects that applied for but were not awarded 2021 INFRA competitive grant funding are now INFRA Extra designees, eligible for credit assistance of up to 49% of costs, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.