Price tag of expanding passenger rail to L/A could go up to $300M
Courtesy / NNEPRA
An engineering consultant offered three possible service scenarios at a public meeting on possible Amtrak Downeaster expansion to Lewiston-Auburn held on March 27. Cost estimates ranged up to $200 million to $300 million.
An engineering consultant evaluating the proposed extension of passenger rail service from Portland to Lewiston-Auburn reported this week that the cost of doing so would be between $200 million and $300 million.
Lewiston Sun Journal reported that Natasha Velickovic of the engineering firm VHB outlined three cost scenarios for the Amtrak Downeaster passenger rail between Portland and Lewiston-Auburn, based on different service routes:
- Using the Pan Am Rail Line to take passengers from L/A to the Portland Transportation Center, which would have construction costs of between $189 million and $230 million, and result in a 50-minute ride.
- Using the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Rail Line, also to the Portland Transportation Center, which would cost between $207 million and $254 million and result in a 48-minute ride.
- Using the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Rail Line to connect to Ocean Gateway on Portland’s Commercial Street, which would cost between $241 million and $295 million and result in a 43-minute ride.
VHB’s study estimated that between 700 and 1,900 people would ride the L/A-Portland extension daily, the newspaper reported.
The Sun Journal reported that the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which manages the Amtrak Downeaster passenger service between Brunswick, Portland and Boston, said the project would be funded through several sources — with federal grant programs providing between 50% and 80% of the implementation costs and the remaining 50% to 20% coming from local and state sources.
Velickovic estimated annual operating costs at between $15 million and $20 million.
A “transit propensity analysis” completed last October indicated that the potential demand for the L/A-Portland passenger rail service would be drawn from two traveling markets: Diverting commuters who currently drive between the two metropolitan center and creating demand from new travelers who might find rail service appealing and convenient.
“Diverting drivers to use transit would require a rail option that is time-competitive to driving and very easy to use,” a summary of that report stated. “A convenient and well-performing service would be frequent; reasonably priced; easily accessible for both the origin and destination points; and comfortable. On the contrary, a rail service that is infrequent, is significantly slower and notably more expensive than driving, or a service that does not provide convenient station access would result in lower ridership levels.”
VHB’s presentation was made during Wednesday’s public meeting in Lewiston hosted by the Lewiston/Auburn Passenger Rail Service Plan Committee. The meeting was scheduled to update the public about the proposed expansion of passenger rail service to Lewiston-Auburn and to gather feedback regarding the various scenarios.
Feedback and questions related to the project may be directed to LAStudy@nnepra.com .
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