JUNE 9, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY SCOTT GARRETT
THE RECORD
By reducing funding to the program that gives grant money to transit agencies for new projects by 4 percent, Congress could have fully funded our nation’s rail safety and operations.
WHAT WOULD be your top priority if the roof on your house was caving in? Would you build a new addition? Renovate the kitchen? Put in a swimming pool? Of course not — you would fix the roof, because it protects your home and your family.
Just as you wouldn’t add a new addition before fixing your home, Congress shouldn’t prioritize new transit over the immediate safety needs of our freight and passenger rail lines.
The number of train accidents is a growing concern among all Americans. Just this year we have seen oil train derailments in West Virginia and North Dakota, and more than a dozen Amtrak-related accidents. Most recently, a tragic crash in Philadelphia claimed eight lives and injured dozens more.
In New Jersey alone, we have more than 1,000 miles of commuter railroad tracks and 2,400 miles of freight railroad tracks. Furthermore, New Jerseyans travel more than 100 million miles on commuter trains every year. Americans both here and across the nation need assurance that Congress and the rail industry are taking the appropriate steps to ensure rail safety.
The Federal Railroad Administration’s Safety and Operations Account funds safety projects for both freight and commuter trains across the country. In light of the recent concerns over train safety, I was disappointed that the FRA’s safety account did not receive an increase in funding in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Bill.
