Stimulus Could Help Expand Railroads in MS

Billions of stimulus dollars are aimed at improving the nation’s railroad system. MPB’s Stephen Koranda reports on how that could benefit Mississippi.

Stimulus dollars could help refurbish a 92-mile stretch of track from West Point to Greenwood, which would help draw industry to the area, says Cynthia Wilson, chair of the North Central Mississippi Railroad Authority. She says around half of the industries that could be drawn to the area require rail access.

“This area is very depressed. We’ve lost an awful lot of jobs, a lot of industry. With the change for demand for rail line service, it will help use be able to more effectively compete.”

Lawmakers heard about some of the benefits of the West Point-Greenwood track yesterday from Roger Bell, with the Columbus, Greenville railway.

“This project is shovel ready, it’s ready to go and would empoly hundreds of construction jobs and would general a lot of economic development just in the rehabilitation of the rail line itself.”

There’s also stimulus dollars to expand high-speed passenger rail. Mississippi currently is part of the corridor from Atlanta to New Orleans. Improving this line and designating other nearby passenger corridors would benefit Mississippi, according to Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith, a former Amtrak board member.

“Meriden, Laurel, Hattiesburg, picayune are all on that corridor. High speed rail, passenger rail, brings economic development, it’s shown wherever we place higher speed lines.”

At least 8 billion dollars of stimulus money should be available for passenger rail projects nationwide later this year.