SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Citizens in Shreveport, Ruston, and Monroe are gearing up for a series of briefings scheduled for Wednesday, June 7 that will update the region on the concept of re-introducing the long-distance train to northern Louisiana.
Amtrak and partners have been contemplating the idea for more than 20 years, but the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2022 is giving NWLA the opportunity to believe in the potential expansion of Amtrak’s long-distance service.
If funded, and if a sufficient business plan can prove a direct connection between the Northeast Corridor and areas in the south and west will be beneficial to Amtrak, the company will partner with the Southern Rail Commission and others to fulfill the 20-year-old concept.
Both the SRC and Amtrak will be on hand to give details about the application for federal funding. Amtrak is again reviewing the possibility of extending the Crescent train along the I-20 corridor from Meridian, Miss. to New York, Washington, Atlanta, and Dallas. Communities throughout central Mississippi, north Louisiana, and east Texas are expected to be included in the plans.
If you would like to attend one of the briefings, the Shreveport event will be held on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at the Government Plaza Foyer, 505 Travis Street in Shreveport. The briefing train will roll through Ruston near the Farmer’s Market, 220 Mississippi Avenue, at 4:00 p.m. If you don’t make either briefing, you can always stop at 3rd and Desiard Street in Monroe on Thursday, where the briefing will begin at 9:00 a.m.
