AASHTO: State DOTs should have key role in FRA's rail corridor plan

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) announced its support for the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) new corridor identification and development program that aims to expand passenger-rail service in the United States.

AASHTO leaders emphasized in a March 8 letter to the FRA  that it believes state departments of transportation and state-designated rail entities, rather than private entities, should serve as the FRA’s primary partners in establishing new rail corridors, the AASHTO Journal reported. In the letter, they also outlined a need for the FRA to consult with state DOTs for developing rail network plans, especially where Amtrak intends to operate a new corridor, and on the preparation of service development plans (SDPs) because of state DOTs’ expertise on the subject.

Also, AASHTO leadership called for states to receive opportunities to assume more federal responsibilities and the associated accountability in order to streamline and improve project delivery. Maintaining flexibility between state and local match funding is critical to the development of rail programs across diverse communities, association officials added.

"Given the existing [state DOT] role in managing rail systems, [they] should lead in the development of the pipeline of projects that will serve local and regional communities while fitting within an effective planning program," AASHTO officials wrote. “FRA should encourage clear communication from parties developing proposals, as state DOTs should also be enabled to facilitate partnerships with stakeholder parties in the preparation of SDPs."