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“Congress just passed a federal budget that has in it a lot of good news for rail construction here in Connecticut,” said Murphy. “On the Appropriations Committee, I fought very hard to build into this budget a substantial increase for transportation funding and to break a string of budget cuts in the transportation account.
"Because of it, we’re getting $50 million to perform safety upgrades, and for the first time ever, we’re getting an account of $19 million dedicated just to the Northeast Corridor."
Murphy (D-Conn.) was joined Monday by state Transportation Commissioner Jim Redeker and state Rep. Terry Adams in making the announcement at the Stamford Train Station.
Murphy highlighted the current dire state of repair along Connecticut’s rail lines and outlined how the newly allotted funding will make rail travel safer and more reliable for Connecticut residents.
As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Murphy fought to ensure that the federal budget passed by Congress earlier this month includes $1.4 billion for Amtrak, which is an increase of $19 million from last year.
"It’s a foot in the door that will help us address the specific needs of Connecticut residents and commuters for a long time to come. Rail in Connecticut is the lifeblood of our economy,” Murphy said.
Murphy has been a vocal advocate on behalf of Connecticut’s transportation priorities, and recently launched a ‘Fed Up’ campaign to hear directly from Connecticut’s commuters how a more reliable commute could improve commerce, productivity and quality of life for commuters and residents.
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