Macon, Atlanta, Savannah passenger rail restoration in planning phase, officials say
Leaders and officials gathered at the Central Corridor Coalition meeting on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of restoring passenger rail service between Atlanta, Macon and Savannah.
FLOVILLA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Leaders and officials gathered at the Central Corridor Coalition meeting on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of restoring passenger rail service between Atlanta, Macon and Savannah.
According to the 1-75 Corridor Coalition, the project is in its planning phase, but it is one step closer to becoming a reality. The former mayor of Macon-Bibb County, Robert Reichert, spoke about the importance of the project for economic benefits and tourism.
“It’s economic benefit, tourism,” he said. “It connects remote parts of the state to the network national network. This will be a perfect transportation option for when things are too far to drive but too close to fly.”
During the planning phase, officials are identifying alternative routes, estimating ridership and considering the frequency and hours of operation of the trains to suit riders’ needs.
Amit Bose, the Federal Administration Administrator for the U.S. The Department of Transportation says they are looking to answer several questions.
“How often the train will be in service, will it just be in service early in the morning and late at night? Will there be more than one train going in directions so that riders, passengers, it can suit their needs more?” Bose said.
Todd Stennis, the director of government affairs at Amtrak, says state and local government backing is important when applying for federal grants.
“When applying for the federal grants that are going to be available, they do require a state and or local match,” he said. “The next step in the process requires a 10% match, and the subsequent steps are going to require 20% match. And that has to be local. It cannot be federal.”
El-Mahdi Holly, State Representative for Georgia House District 116, is also pushing local leaders to apply for grants.
“They’re literally handing out half a million dollars just for those studies,” Holly said. “Hopefully that financial incentive is necessary to help sustain the appetite, because this area’s growing, and we just want to make sure that while businesses can grow, we need to be able to have a free mobility infrastructure available for residents who want to be able to travel without spending a lot of money.”
The railroad administration believes now is the time to start this project, especially with the influx of people moving to the state of Georgia.
“That’s why it’s important to do this work now,” Bose said. “And to take these steps again. There’s a lot of steps, but take these steps right now so that when that happens, this is in place.”
$8 million was given to the Georgia Department of Transportation to begin the initial rail study. The planning phase could take a couple of years, but people in Georgia could soon have a new way to beat traffic woes.
