Officials announced a $10 million federal rail grant Monday that will help the state complete improvements along the main north-south train route up the western side of Vermont.
A release from Sen. Patrick Leahy鈥檚 office said the state plans to match the $10 million federal grant with its own funds. The goal of the work is to 鈥渞emove the final hurdle for restoring passenger service between Rutland and Burlington,鈥� the release said.
The federal money is coming through the $500 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, according to the release.
The Vermont Rail Action Network (VRAN), an advocacy group focused on improving the state鈥檚 railway infrastructure, called the announcement a victory.
鈥淰ermont鈥檚 congressional delegation deserves our praise for successfully backing this application, making sure the Secretary of Transportation know how much it mattered to Vermont,鈥� said VRAN Executive Director Christopher Parker in a statement.
Parker VRAN believes that the Shumlin administration鈥檚 plan to commit state funding to the improvements 鈥渄id the trick in making a successful application鈥� for the funds.
The state鈥檚 long-term planning for rail infrastructure is ongoing this year, with officials working to finalize the Vermont State Rail Plan after receiving public input over the summer. Part of that plan is the .
