Today, Brightline launched passenger rail service between Miami and Orlando, the fastest passenger rail service in the U.S. outside of the Northeast. Brightline will offer 16 round trips a day on the 235-mile corridor, with the trip taking about 3 1/2 hours, and...
Making the most of the Corridor ID Program
Issue in Brief
The Corridor ID Program is a great new tool.
The Corridor Identification Program is a new program managed by the Federal Railroad Administration. It will be the pathway to Federal financial support and technical assistance for new or improved intercity passenger rail routes across the country.
It offers a low risk way for local governments and states to start planning for fast, frequent and affordable trains as states develop their rail programs.
Why it is Important
It is the tool that the FRA will use to prioritize how federal intercity passenger rail funds are spent. The project pipeline will help Congress to decide how much funding to give intercity passenger rail.
Our Goal
It is important that applications for as many corridors as possible are submitted so that Congress will see the demand.
How Corridor ID relates to other federal programs.
Corridor ID helps project sponsors, like a state or a metropolitan planning organization, make their project ready for other federal funding programs. The biggest funding program is the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail.
The Goals of the Corridor ID Program
- Support a sustained long-term development effort.
- Create a capital project pipeline ready for Federal (and other) funding.
- Become the primary means for directing Federal financial support and technical assistance for new or improved intercity passenger rail services throughout the United States.
Eligible Applicants
- Amtrak
- States
- Groups of States
- Entities implementing interstate compacts
- Regional passenger rail authorities
- Regional planning organizations
- Political subdivisions of a State
- Federally recognized Indian Tribes
Eligible Corridors
- New routes under 750 miles (except commuter rail)
- Existing routes under 750 miles (except commuter rail)
- Existing inter-regional (long-distance) routes
- Inter-regional routes discontinued by Amtrak
- Inter-regional routes operating on April 30, 1971
Steps in the Corridor ID process
The process is broken into 3 steps. The first step comes at no cost to the project sponsor, so it is a low risk way to better understand the costs and benefits of the corridor. The sponsor is not obligated to move into the following steps.
Step 1
Creating the scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing a service development plan.
Award amount: $500,000
Local share: 0%
Step 2
Develop the Service Development Plan
Award amount: TBD
Local share: 10%
Step 3
Final design and environmental review
Award amount: TBD
Local share: 20%
What you can do
Make sure that your local leaders know that they can use the Corridor ID program to build the case for trains to their town.
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