Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, voted for and the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill this week to invest in Amtrak and other rail infrastructure to improve the safety and capacity of the country’s passenger rail system. The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, or PRRIA (H.R. 749), authorizes $7.2 billion for passenger rail over the next four years, including $300 million annually for rail infrastructure.

“Investment in our roads, bridges, runways and rail systems creates good paying jobs and keeps people moving efficiently and safely. I am pleased this bill includes funds to improve rail crossings at highways, because as our economy grows our railways and roadways are getting more congested. People in my district are understandably concerned about increased shipments of crude oil by rail, and better crossings will help improve safety and ensure the smooth flow of both trains and cars in Northwest Washington and nationwide.

“I am also pleased this bill requires better coordination between Amtrak and states to improve passenger rail operations and transparency.

“When Americans think Amtrak, they often think of the Northeast corridor. But we in the Pacific Northwest know Amtrak Cascades provides essential transportation between our small towns and urban centers.

“This bill makes strides in keeping passenger rail accessible and investing in critical infrastructure to improve rail safety,” Larsen said.

Larsen has been a leader in Congress in pushing for improved safety standards for crude traveling by railand investments in rail safety infrastructure. He sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx last summer asking for better investments in rail crossings to mitigate the impacts of increased rail traffic in the Pacific Northwest.

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