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Amtrak chief: High-speed rail must come to Rome
(The following story by Montanette Murphy appeared on the Observer-Dispatch website on May 18, 2009.)
ROME, N.Y. — Taberg native and Amtrak President Joseph Boardman urged a crowd of more than 200 on Monday to keep both Rome and Utica at the forefront of talks about high-speed rail in the state.
Officials previously have said the system would run across the state and include a stop in Utica but not Rome.
Monday, while speaking at the 97th annual Rome Chamber of Commerce breakfast at The Beeches restaurant in Rome, Boardman said he thinks Rome should be included.
“It’s important to stop in Rome, and it’s also important to stop in Utica,” Boardman said.
Funding for the project could come after the federal government determines what to do with $8 billion available in stimulus funds for rail service. President Barack Obama has said the Federal Railroad Administration will begin awarding the first round of grants by late summer.
New York’s rail project is one of the top three in the country – in a bidding-process competition with Florida and California, U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, has said. The decision ultimately will be made by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Arcuri said.
Rome Mayor James Brown previously said he understood why Rome wouldn’t have a stop in addition to Utica because the two stops would be so close to each other.
But after hearing Boardman’s comments about the Rome stop tying into expansion at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park and business at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Brown changed his mind and believes a Rome stop is needed, he said.
“It was good to hear that efforts to lobby for a Rome stop on the proposed high-speed rail line would be welcomed,” Brown said.
‘More than speed’
During his speech, Boardman also discussed the roles high-speed rail could play in improving the Mohawk Valley.
“High-speed rail is about a lot more than speed,” Boardman said. “It’s about frequency, reliability and connectivity. It’s about becoming energy independent, greener, safer and healthier for us and our future.”
Also crucial will be offering morning and evening arrivals and departures and making mass transit and other forms of transportation available when travelers arrive in the region, said state Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Rome.
State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, said he supports the investment in the rail system’s infrastructure and in the equipment needed to make the trains better. He said the rail system needs to be on-time, safe, regular and affordable.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
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