Senate unanimously passes bills to study rail lines to connect Maine
AUGUSTA — On Monday, the Senate passed two bills from Senator Ben Chipman, D-Portland, and Senator Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, to conduct feasibility studies to determine if a passenger rail from Portland to Lewiston and Brunswick to Bangor are possible. LD 991, “Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation To Complete a Feasibility Analysis To Initiate a Commuter and Passenger Train Service between Portland and the Lewiston and Auburn Area,” and LD 227, “Resolve, To Conduct a Feasibility Study for Extending Passenger Rail Service from Brunswick through Augusta and Waterville to Bangor” both passed unanimously in the Senate.
“Maine once had statewide rail service, but today only a small portion remains. It’s hard to imagine what we lost when many of these railroads closed. It’s time we made a substantial investment to figure out how to return rail to Maine,” said Senator Chipman. “Railroads provide an economically efficient movement of people and are dramatically better for the environment than individual travel. These feasibility assessments are a direct investment in our environment and local economy. It’s commonsense policy, a win-win for everyone to invest in these studies and thus in railroad.”
“Passenger rail in Maine is long overdue. Proposals like this give a necessary and in-depth look into how we can make rail service affordable and sensible,” said Senator Baldacci. “This feasibility study lets us explore possibilities and opportunities for growth and development and connects our whole state. We’d be using existing infrastructure to invest directly in our people. With a U.S. Department of Transportation ready to invest in passenger rail, the time to act is now.”
“This bill continues the effort to expand critical rail service to Lewiston and Auburn. Giving more Mainers and visitors to our great state more options for easy, safe transportation will give our economic a much-needed boost and help us move away from car and car pollution,” said Tony Donovan of the Maine Rail Transit Coalition. “Because of funding currently being offered by the federal government, time is of the essence for us to pass this bill. We have the opportunity to be in a good position to make real investments in Maine’s future.”
“This would be great for the city of Waterville. We currently have a housing crisis here, a passenger rail would allow people to access our businesses to work and to shop which would be incredible,” said Jay Coelho, mayor of Waterville, in testimony supporting LD 227. “We also have two colleges here, so it’s very important to me to have our students be able to travel across the state to visit home or make a day trip to Bangor or Portland.”
The feasibility analyses would examine potential station locations, market demand for rail, potential economic benefits, the environmental impact, funding options, necessary capital investments, and the possibility of expanding service to Montreal and Boston. The feasibility analysis will provide a passenger service development plan as well.
Both bills now face further votes in the Legislature.
