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8/10/2022
A Louisiana passenger-rail project has received a $20 million federal grant for the real-estate acquisition, design and construction of two train stations.
Issued under the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program, the award will help fund construction of the Baton Rouge and Gonzales train stations that would serve restored Amtrak passenger-rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) announced Aug. 8.
The grant represents a portion of the $36.95 million that Baton Rouge and Gonzales officials have requested for the project. The total cost to build the two stations is $46.6 million, which includes local funding matches.
The Baton Rouge to New Orleans rail project envisions twice daily trips with stops at stations in Baton Rouge’s downtown and health district, Gonzales, LaPlace, Louis Armstrong International Airport and the Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, with further connections to other Amtrak destinations, according to the Southern Rail Commission.
RAISE discretionary grants, which were originally created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as TIGER grants, can be used for a wide variety of projects. The program funds projects that modernize transportation infrastructure.