Planners Look for A Way to Fund Rail Service

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Updated: 10:49 AM Aug 20, 2008 Planners Look for A Way to Fund Rail Service Gas prices are high so many people are looking at alternative transportation. One proposed solution is rail service from Lynchburg to D.C. through Charlottesville. Funding it may be the biggest hurdle. Posted: 10:53 PM Aug 19, 2008 Reporter: Cheryn Stone Email Address: cheryn.stone@wcav.tv

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August 19, 2008

Gas prices are high so many people are looking at alternative transportation. One proposed solution is rail service from Lynchburg to D.C. through Charlottesville. Funding it may be the biggest hurdle.

Amtrak has said they support this new daily route if the state helps pay for it. Monday Governor Tim Kaine warned of possible massive budget cuts. Virginia lawmakers, Governor Kaine, and transportation planners met in Richmond Tuesday to see if there is a way to come up with the cash.

Piedmont Rail Coalition Chair Meredith Richards says, "the drive to Washington on the highway is a nightmare, the gas is 4 dollars a gallon...everybody wants an environmentally responsible alternative, so people are clamoring to get back on the train."

Amtrak agrees. The railroad supports the new route if the state can come up with about 1.8 million dollars each year to help pay for it.

"What we need to do is find a new source of money to fund rail services, this has never happened in Virginia ...we have no fund right now in Virginia dedicated to rail services," says Richards.

Delegate David Toscano is one of many meeting in Richmond to scour the budget, and try to find money to pay for new rail service.

"We're engaged in a bipartisan effort to try and get this service in play in the next couple of years," Toscano says.

Supporters are not looking for money from the state's general fund, which means they've got to find another way to come up with the cash in a way that does not take money from the already struggling budget.

"We have to be optimistic, we know the public wants this service, we know about the budget crunch in Richmond, we're painfully aware of it but we have to do is be creative use our collective strength and find a way to fund this service," says Richards.

The service would use tracks that are already in place, no new trains are needed, and now it's just a question of finding money to get the project on track.

Toscano says the Governor and transportation department staff are going to be putting together some final recommendations in the next couple months.

Richards says, they already have track improvements paid for, which means they only need the operating costs. The plan is to have the new route going by 2010, that is of course, if they can come up with the money.