Policy & Advocacy

What does this look like?

• States submit corridors for development to FRA
• States execute Service Development Plans (SDPs) with access to federal technical assistance if needed based on a state’s resources and experience
• States submit SDPs and Project Inventories for FRA review and approval
• States decide how to partner with host railroads, Amtrak, and other passenger rail operators to manage delivery of projects and service
• States assume responsibility for reasonable project delivery risk, similar to federal highway and transit programs

What are the benefits?

• Expedited and more cost-efficient planning, development, and project delivery
• Services strongly informed by regional mobility needs
• Stronger incentives for states to raise local funding

What does this look like?

• FRA maintains its focus on safety
• FRA selects corridors for development
• FRA provides technical assistance for planning and development to states with fewer resources and less experience
• FRA reviews and approves SDPs and Project Inventories, grants funding to implement the project pipeline, and monitors compliance with federal law
• States assume responsibility for complying with established guidelines and only require FRA interim approvals when seeking exceptions, similar to federal highway and transit programs

What are the benefits?

• Expedited deployment of funding resources
• Expedited and more cost-efficient planning, development, and project delivery

What does this look like?

• Continued advanced appropriations and authorized funding levels for all FRA discretionary grant programs
• Continued advanced appropriations and authorized funding levels for Amtrak’s National Network and Northeast Corridor accounts

What are the benefits?

• Continued historic investments in modernizing infrastructure and growing passenger rail as a mobility option for American families and businesses
• Protecting Amtrak as the responsible party for long distance services, an integral partner in delivering State-supported services, and the steward of the Northeast Corridor

What does this look like?

• Portions of existing funding levels allocated directly to states along with discretion over how to use those funds
• A prototype for predictable formula-like funds for state rail programs
• Broad eligibility including internal resource development, planning, project development, design, and construction

What are the benefits?

• Expedited deployment of funding resources
• Funding resources directed at the most pressing regional needs
• Eventually facilitates states implementing the pipeline of investments in their FRA-approved Project Inventory

What does this look like?

• Across the industry, continued mechanisms such as advanced appropriations
• At the project level, continued use of Phased Funding Agreements and Letters of Intent

What are the benefits?

• Expedited and more cost-efficient planning, development, and project delivery
• Enhanced ability for states to identify or raise local funding
• Advancement of large transformative projects that languish in uncertain funding environments
• Rail construction and operations industries have the confidence to invest and grow domestically

What does this look like?

• Continued funding levels to allow Amtrak to exercise option orders for existing rolling stock procurements
• Continued funding levels to allow States and Amtrak to advance future procurements
• Reauthorization and funding for the Next Generation Equipment Committee to develop and maintain equipment standards
• Decision-making mechanisms that empower states and Amtrak to procure equipment and facilities that maximize deployment and maintenance availability, flexibility, and efficiency

What are the benefits?

• Opportunities to expedite rolling stock procurements and take advantage of competitive pricing via existing option orders
• Complete replacement of legacy equipment and a foundation for growth
• Train equipment and facilities, interchangeable across corridors and states, where trains can be deployed and maintained more flexibly and efficiently
• Rail manufacturing industries have the confidence to invest, grow, and sustain domestic manufacturing

What does this look like?

• Legislation that codifies a state, or a political subdivision of a state, that provides equipment, track, right-of-way, or financial support for intercity passenger service, but does not operate the railroad, is not a rail carrier or railroad and therefore, is not subject to regulatory requirements applicable to railroads

What are the benefits?

• Clarity on the regulatory environment for state passenger rail investments

What does this look like?

• Policies enabling everything from entire services to subsets of activities (e.g., rolling stock maintenance, food and beverage service) to be bid competitively

What are the benefits?

• Service delivery that is more cost-efficient and responsive to market needs for all passenger rail operations