Vermont Transportation Secretary Brian Searles today joined officials from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray; Congressman John Olver; and MassDOT Secretary Richard A. Davey; and US Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo in Greenfield, MA, for the groundbreaking ceremony to kick-off reconstruction of the Pan Am Southern’s rail line between East Northfield and Springfield, Massachusetts.
The “Knowledge Corridor” project, so-called because of the number of colleges and universities in proximity to the rail line, will serve as the operating track for the Massachusetts segment of Amtrak’s Vermonter passenger train when construction is completed in 2013.
“The State of Vermont has been an ardent supporter of this initiative as it’s moved from early vision, to broader study and planning phases, to our strong endorsement of Massachusetts’ application for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding needed to realize this important transportation milestone. Returning our passenger service to this line has been a goal since we first began the state-supported Vermonter service in April 1995,” said Secretary Searles. “The reductions in travel time and delays, and the increased reliability of the service upon completion of the project, will provide a stronger link between communities in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the New York metropolitan region served by Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor trains,” he added. “We also view it as a key component of our effort to restore passenger rail service over the US-Canada border into Montreal, Quebec.”
Additionally, Secretary Searles noted, “The anticipated growth in ridership and corresponding revenues this realignment is expected to yield will aid Vermont in containing the future costs of providing this critical travel option for both residents and visitors to our state and the New England-New York region.”
On June 30, 2011, MassDOT signed the agreements with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that will enable Amtrak’s Vermonter train to again travel the historic Massachusetts “Knowledge Corridor” route between Springfield, MA and East Northfield, MA. The Project will utilize a $73 million Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to undertake rail improvements in the Pioneer Valley in Western Massachusetts.
The Pan Am Southern is a joint venture between Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern.
Revitalization of the Knowledge Corridor route will restore passenger trains traveling between St. Albans, VT, and Washington, DC to their original route. The construction is expected to begin in late 2011 and be completed in late 2013.
