A daily train connecting New Orleans and Baton Rouge is at least two to four years away, says John Spain, vice chair of the Southern Rail Commission.
The big picture: The tentative plan includes stops at Gonzales, LaPlace, two Baton Rouge locations, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, the Southern Rail Commission says.
- The route would take 75 to 90 minutes, according to the Reveille. The line would use existing tracks.
Between the lines: Five of the six proposed stops require new train stations that must be built before service can start.
Catch up quick: Then Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a service development agreement in 2023, according to the AP.
- When he signed, Edwards said the goal was to reduce traffic congestion on I-10 and increase tourism and job opportunities in the communities along the route.
- Passenger train service ended on this line in 1969, according to the AP.
By the numbers: The infrastructure is expected to cost at least $260 million, according to a 2023 feasibility study.
- The state is using a $20 million settlement from the Road Home Program to help fund the project, AP says.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Southern Rail Commission are contributing money too.
Meanwhile, the Southern Rail Commission is also moving forward with a rail line that connects Shreveport to Meridian, Mississippi, and eventually Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth along I-20. Go deeper…