The Black Chronicle

Federal dollars flow to study Georgia rail projects

(The Center Square) — The federal government has awarded $1.5 million to study the possibility of running passenger trains on a trio of corridors in Georgia.

The Federal Railroad Administration awarded $500,000 to the Georgia Department of Transportation to study a possible Atlanta-to-Savannah line. It also provided $500,000 to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to evaluate a Charlotte-to-Atlanta line and $500,000 to the city of Chattanooga to study an Atlanta-to-Chattanooga-to-Nashville-to-Memphis route.

“There aren’t many places in America whose history is as closely tied to rail travel as Chattanooga’s, and today’s announcement is a promising sign that the railroad will continue to be an important part of our future,” Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said in a Facebook post.

The Atlanta-to-Charlotte route would be a high-speed line where trains would “operate at speeds of up to 186 mph or greater” on a “new high-speed rail alignment.” The Atlanta-to-Savannah and Atlanta-to-Chattanooga-to-Nashville-to-Memphis connections would be conventional rail links where trains would operate between 79 mph and 125 mph on existing or new alignments.

The Atlanta-to-Savannah line would explore “potential intermediate stops” in Athens, Augusta and Macon. The Charlotte-to-Atlanta line would similarly explore stops in Augusta and Athens; it would also include a downtown Atlanta station and terminate at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.

- Advertisement -

“This is a long-term project that will require cooperation and strong execution at all levels of government, but it has the potential to unlock huge gains in mobility and quality of life for Georgians,” U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, said in a statement.

According to a Friday announcement, the money is from the fiscal 2022 Corridor Identification and Development Award.

Rail projects are nothing new to Georgia. Multiple projects have been discussed over the years, including between Atlanta and Lovejoy and the “Brain Train” between Athens and Atlanta.

A previous FRA grant covers the cost of a service development plan for the Atlanta-to-Savannah route, and the FRA said it considers the first step of the process to be complete. A Georgia Department of Transportation spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

Hot this week

African and Caribbean Nations Call for Reparations for Slave Trade, Propose Global Fund

Nations across Africa and the Caribbean, deeply impacted by...

Sports betting expert offers advice on paying taxes for gambling winnings

(The Center Square) – Tax season is underway, and...

Health care company agrees to pay $22.5 million to settle claims of over billing

A health care company agreed to pay nearly $22.5...

Entertainment district benefits don’t outweigh the cost, economists say

(The Center Square) — Weeks later, after more details...

Business association ‘disappointed’ by WA L&I’s proposed workers comp rate hike

(The Center Square) – The Association of Washington Business...

Judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order

A federal judge Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's...

Culinary workers end strike in Las Vegas

(The Center Square) – Culinary workers in Las Vegas...

The 2025 Oscar Nominees!

The 2025 Academy Award nominations have arrived. A year...

North Carolina biggest gainer in 2025 Education Freedom Report

(The Center Square) – Universal school choice and clearance...

Report: Big deficit ahead for state employee health insurance trust fund

(The Center Square) – Trouble could be looming for...

Evers touts tax cuts, mental health spending in Wisconsin State of State

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s state and local tax...

Bill seeks to end ‘balance sheet manipulation’ for budget revenue forecasts

(The Center Square) – Washington state lawmakers have introduced...

More like this
Related

Judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order

A federal judge Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's...

Culinary workers end strike in Las Vegas

(The Center Square) – Culinary workers in Las Vegas...

The 2025 Oscar Nominees!

The 2025 Academy Award nominations have arrived. A year...

North Carolina biggest gainer in 2025 Education Freedom Report

(The Center Square) – Universal school choice and clearance...