Amtrak pledges to double riders by 2040 with expansion plans

Amtrak aims to double ridership by 2040 through major investments in service expansion. The railway company announced on Wednesday.

The company will work toward an “ambitious” goal of serving 66 million passengers a year as the Biden administration makes major investments in rail infrastructure.

“Amtrak has recovered from the pandemic and is growing again as part of our plan to double our ridership by 2040,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said in a statement. “With funding from the infrastructure bill, we and our partners are transforming intercity passenger rail across the country at scale.”

The company plans approximately $5.5 billion in capital spending in 2024, including a new tunnel under downtown Baltimore in the Northeast Corridor, renovations to New York City’s East River Tunnel, and other new projects across the country. Also included.

Amtrak also plans to add about 3,500 jobs between construction and rail service next year.

“Amtrak is committed to two important goals in 2024: improving passenger train service for our customers and modernizing and upgrading our infrastructure, stations, rolling stock and technology,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “This is the efficient and effective implementation of a major infrastructure capital program.” In a statement. “As both a passenger rail service provider and a leading construction company, we are rapidly growing and evolving to do both.”

This expansion plan comes as the federal government emphasizes the importance of passenger rail. In December, the Federal Railroad Administration announced more than 50 new or expanded rail services as part of the plan. Corridor ID Programto identify and fund future preliminary rail projects across the country.

The new routes include expansions to most of Amtrak’s long-distance service and substantial new service in the Midwest and South. The Corridor ID program project will add multiple new cities to Amtrak’s network, including Phoenix. Columbus, Ohio. Nashville, Tennessee. and Mobile, Alabama.

The Biden administration will also provide about $8 billion in funding for high-speed rail service in California and Nevada, which Amtrak does not operate, and is planning new high-speed rail service in Texas, the Pacific Northwest, and the South. There is.

President Biden in November announced $16.4 billion in federal funding for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor project. The funding is part of the $66 billion set aside for passenger rail in the bipartisan infrastructure law.