Downeaster could extend further into Maine thanks to White House announcement

ROCKLAND, Maine (WMTW) - President Joe Biden was announcing new investments in infrastructure Friday, focusing on existing and exploratory rail service projects.

The Administration was announcing $8.2 billion in new funding for 10 major passenger rail projects across the country, including the first world-class high-speed rail projects in U.S. history.

Key projects include: building a new high-speed rail system between California and Nevada, which will serve more than 11 million passengers annually; creating a high-speed rail line through California’s Central Valley to ultimately link Los Angeles and San Francisco, supporting travel with speeds up to 220 mph; delivering significant upgrades to frequently-traveled rail corridors in Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia; and upgrading and expanding capacity at Chicago Union Station in Illinois, one of the nation’s busiest rail hubs.

The announcement also includes up to $500,000 for the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority to extend the Amtrak Downeaster to Rockland. That project would also include a new station in Falmouth.

The funding would also help make it easier for passengers to get from Boston’s North Station, where the Downeaster goes, and South Station, where all other Amtrak services in Boston connect.