Midwest high-speed rail gets Congressional approval
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar says a high-speed rail line between Chicago and the Twin Cities could be a reality within five years.
The Rail Safety Improvement Act was passed by the U.S. House and Senate. It authorizes $680 million a year for five years for high speed rail projects.
Oberstar, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, says one such project is the line from Chicago to the Twin Cities.
"We'll be able to proceed with Chicago as the hub, a line east to Cleveland, south to St. Louis, and west through Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Madison, the Twin Cities and eventually Duluth," said Oberstar.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
The bill also significantly increases automated safety features on passenger rail cars. Amtrak's operations and infrastructure budget would also get a big boost.
Oberstar says he is hopeful that President Bush will sign the bill into law.
In a separate development, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has been awarded a federal matching grant of $1.1 million to begin studying the impact of a high-speed rail line between Duluth and the Twin Cities, which is called the Northern Lights Express.
The money comes from the US Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration. The matching funds need to come from state and local sources.
