Maine State Rail Plan
Welcome to the web site for the Maine State Rail Plan. This web site contains information about the development of this new plan, and informs the public on how to stay informed and provide input.
The need for competitive transportation options for Maine businesses and citizens, along with fluctuating energy costs and concern about climate change, require economical and environmentally friendly transportation modes. As a result, freight and passenger rail have become a stronger focus for the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) in recent years.
In order to determine where and how to best make rail investments over the next ten-year period, MaineDOT is conducting an in-depth analysis into the state’s rail system—its strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. The resulting plan will provide direction for the future of rail over the next ten years and provide access to various sources of critically needed federal rail funding.
Rail Plan Update: February, 2010
Over the last nine months, the Maine Department of Transportation has been developing its first-ever State Rail Plan. The purpose of the plan is to provide an analysis of the state’s rail infrastructure and a look at a range of potential opportunities for passenger and freight rail over the next decade. With limited transportation funding, state officials need a set of objective criteria to help guide future investment. More, a state rail plan is required in order to qualify for certain kinds of federal rail funding.
The plan leans heavily on input from state rail experts and the public, gathered in a total of ten input meetings that took place between September and December of last year and via this web site. Web comments can be viewed here.
A first draft of the Plan has been completed, and the consultant, HNTB Corporation, is currently finishing additional work on rail corridor criteria and freight economies, a direct outcome of the public outreach process.
A 30-member Technical Advisory Committee, made up of rail operators, shippers, regional planning and economic development organizations, transloaders, truckers, legislators and advocacy groups will review the final draft plan in early March, as soon as the new material has been added. The revised draft plan will then be available on this website at the end of March for a 30-day public review period for the purpose of providing general feedback.
This page last updated on
2/4/10
