McCaskill lobbies for Missouri rail

Senator Claire McCaskill

– U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D., called on the Department of Transportation to take a close look at the Missouri Department of Transportation application for a grant through the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program.

“The projects are essential to creating and supporting jobs that deliver both economic and transportation benefits to the heart of our country. The goal of the projects is to improve on-time performance and the future ability of trains to move at much faster speeds than the track allows,” McCaskill wrote in letter to Secretary Ray Lahood, McCaskill. “I support the efforts of MoDOT and will work to see that the high-speed rail funding goes towards creating jobs, improving passenger rail and growing our economy.”

McCaskill argued the grant could help create and protect jobs in the state.

The funding is available to MoDOT because other states have turned it down.  The funding would be applied to projects connecting Kansas City, Jefferson City, and St. Louis. The state has already received over $30 million in funding, and state legislators are currently debating how it should be spent.

–

Read her letter here.. [PDF]

(Printer friendly)