A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

VP Joe Biden Announces New Amtrak Funding

official photos

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Federal officials are announcing new funding for Amtrak's passenger rail system and stressing the need for continued investment in America's transportation infrastructure.

Vice President Joe Biden scheduled a stop Friday at the train station in Wilmington, Delaware, which bears his name, to announce new funding to improve infrastructure and efficiency along Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor.

Amtrak reported ridership of 11.7 million along the Northeast Corridor in fiscal 2015, a record high.

Biden was a frequent Amtrak rider during his more than 30 years in the U.S. Senate, commuting daily between his Wilmington home and Washington.

Last week, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded $25 million for 11 projects, including $2.6 million for the Northeast Corridor, to help implement Positive Train Control, an advanced technology aimed at preventing train collisions and derailments.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.