For Immediate Release
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Contact:
Rebecca Alper
New Jersey Public Interest Research Group
Office: 609-394-8155
Mobile: 617-840-5999
Email: RAlper@njpirg.org
Obama Administration Awards High Speed Rail Funds to New Jersey
Trenton, Jan. 28 - Statement of Rebecca Alper, NJPIRG Program Associate on today’s announcement from the Obama administration that New Jersey will receive $38.5 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to prepare for high speed rail in the state.
The President followed up on last night’s commitment to job creation by announcing today that several states, including New Jersey, will receive $38.5 million to build or plan for high speed rail. New Jersey will receive an initial down payment towards a project to replace the Portal Bridge, connecting Kearny and Secaucus.
Today’s down payment starts the long journey towards a stronger, faster rail system for America.
High speed rail in New Jersey will put thousands of people to work, clean our air, cut our energy-consumption, and assist in the resurgence of American manufacturing. For millions of inter-city trips, high speed rail will be a faster, cleaner, more efficient way to travel through the Northeast than driving or flying.
Congress needs to follow up on this initial investment by securing more long-term funding for both a high speed rail system and the local public transit systems that will eventually feed into it. There will never be a shortage of workers ready to build these projects, or riders ready to use them, but in order to finally realize clean, efficient transportation in New Jersey, today’s investment must be followed by continued commitment from our leaders.
# # #
NJPIRG, New Jersey Public Research Interest Group, is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization.
