State transportation officials will listen to public comments during online hearings on a draft plan laying out future spending on railroads, including the proposed Scranton to metro New York City passenger train.
(TNS) — Pennsylvania transportation officials will listen to public comments during online hearings on a draft plan laying out future spending on railroads, including the proposed
The draft plan's bottom line recommendation on the passenger train: no money, no schedule.
In fact, the plan simply lists the project — near the bottom of its list of proposed passenger rail projects.
"We have a lot of ducks to get in line yet before we're in a position to be at the top of that list," Cartwright said.
To register to join the public meetings, visit the state rail plan website, www.planthekeystone.com/Pages/PA-State-Rail-Plan.aspx. The public meetings are scheduled for
The long-planned train would run 133 miles between
However, an estimate developed with money Cartwright gathered from state, federal and local sources, said it would cost about $288.9 million just to reinstall tracks, upgrade two major bridges and carry out other related work necessary to have continuous rail between the two cities. The 2006 study included the cost of railroad stations and other equipment.
Earlier this year,
Contractors must submit qualifications by
After that, Cartwright said
That project alone could take two years and doesn't include repairing a culvert and reinstalling the remaining 3.1 miles of track, said
Earlier this year, a
No agency has plans to reinstall the other 21 miles and upgrade the bridges.
PennDOT pointed out the
"If advances in technology or a new opportunity arises that can advance this project forward within the financial and scheduling constraints of the FRA, FTA and PennDOT, we can reassess the project," PennDOT wrote.
(c)2020 The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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