Governor John Bel Edwards rode a passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans as he continues to promote the possibility of a commuter rail line. Before boarding the train, Edwards says a rail line connecting the Red Stick with the Big Easy would do wonders for southeast Louisiana.
“It will be so much better for our state if one can live in Baton Rouge and work in New Orleans or live in New Orleans and entertain in Baton Rouge or attend the Saints games,” said Edwards.
Joining Edwards on the “inspection” train ride were executives from Amtrak, Kansas City Southern, and Canadian Pacific. Canadian Pacific says it’s committed to providing a passenger rail service between B-R and NOLA. Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson was also on the trip.
“This will be an opportunity for us to really finally get cars off the road, reducing congestion and helping us with our climate responsibility efforts as a result of our state’s climate action plan,” said Wilson
Edwards says Louisiana needs to allocate 25-million dollars to show the federal government that it’s serious about the project, but the Legislature has yet to commit to that level of spending.
“I think the (Louisiana) House most recently cut that number in half, but we’ll keep working throughout the legislative process to get that restored, because I think it’s that important,” said Edwards.
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