§22705 Content

Summary

Requires each state to prepare a rail plan that explains its rail system and what it wants rail to do. The plan must list and describe the current rail network and services, review all rail lines (including planned high-speed routes and unused segments), set passenger service goals and minimum service levels, and analyze rail’s transportation, economic, and environmental effects (for example congestion, trade, air quality, land use, energy, and community impacts). The plan must include a long-range investment program for freight and passenger needs, a discussion of public financing and possible funding sources and taxes, identified infrastructure problems found after talking with stakeholders, a review of major intermodal links (like seaports) and options to better connect rail with other travel modes, a summary of public safety and security projects (including major projects funded under section 130 of title 23), a performance review of passenger service with ways to improve it, and a list of high-speed rail studies plus a plan to pay for any recommended work. The long-range investment program must list expected rail capital projects and give a detailed funding plan. Each project entry must say the expected public and private benefits and show how public funding matches those benefits. When making the project list, the state should consider private contributions, rail capacity and congestion, effects on highways/airports/ports, regional balance, environmental effects, economic and job impacts, and projected passenger ridership and service measures.