THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF RESTORED INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE FROM NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, TO MOBILE, ALABAMA ALONG THE GULF COAST. IT WILL FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCE CONNECTIVITY, PROVIDE OTHER NON-TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS TO THE GULF COAST REGION, AND FILL A CRITICAL GEOGRAPHIC GAP IN AMTRAKS NATIONAL NETWORK. THE GULF COAST REGION WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVED BY AMTRAKS TRI-WEEKLY SUNSET LIMITED LONG-DISTANCE SERVICE. AMTRAK SUSPENDED SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND ORLANDO, FLORIDA, IN AUGUST 2005 DUE TO HURRICANE KATRINA, WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE OVER WHICH THE SERVICE OPERATED. THE TWICE DAILY ROUND TRIP STATE-SUPPORTED SERVICE WILL MAKE SIX STATION STOPS IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI AND MOBILE, ALABAMA. GULF COAST SERVICE WILL BE SPONSORED BY THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, AND THE CITY OF MOBILE, ALA

Summary

THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF RESTORED INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE FROM NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, TO MOBILE, ALABAMA ALONG THE GULF COAST. IT WILL FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCE CONNECTIVITY, PROVIDE OTHER NON-TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS TO THE GULF COAST REGION, AND FILL A CRITICAL GEOGRAPHIC GAP IN AMTRAKS NATIONAL NETWORK. THE GULF COAST REGION WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVED BY AMTRAKS TRI-WEEKLY SUNSET LIMITED LONG-DISTANCE SERVICE. AMTRAK SUSPENDED SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND ORLANDO, FLORIDA, IN AUGUST 2005 DUE TO HURRICANE KATRINA, WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE OVER WHICH THE SERVICE OPERATED. THE TWICE DAILY ROUND TRIP STATE-SUPPORTED SERVICE WILL MAKE SIX STATION STOPS IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI AND MOBILE, ALABAMA. GULF COAST SERVICE WILL BE SPONSORED BY THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, AND THE CITY OF MOBILE, ALA