Kansas senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran are among a bipartisan group in Congress who have announced that Amtrak will provide matching funds to maintain the Southwest Chief passenger route through Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
Moran and Roberts made the announcement along with senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, and senators Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet of Colorado.
Amtrak will provide $3 million in matching funds to complete the federal TIGER IX grant that was awarded in January, 2018 for safety upgrades and maintenance on the Southwest Chief route. The money will match a $16 million grant that was successfully sought by the three states and it will result in an investment of more than $26 million in the Southwest Chief. The money comes from a a federal transportation bill that sets aside $50 million of Amtrak’s appropriations for long-term maintenance and safety improvements on lines across the country. The legislation also prohibits Amtrak from replacing long-distance train service with buses.
The Southwest Chief runs daily between Chicago and Los Angeles and connects cities and towns in Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
Senator Moran said services like the Southwest Chief are valuable in connecting Kansans to the rest of the country, and he is pleased that Amtrak has upheld its commitment to repair and improve the rail line. Senator Roberts said in a press release that the service is important to rural riders.
