Gov. John Bel Edwards said a passenger rail line connecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans will allow the largest metropolitan area and the capital to compete together against other regions of the country and not be in competition with one another.
It would also give drivers some relief too.
The governor and other state leaders gave the passenger train a test run between the two cities and made a stop along the way in Gonzales.
Louisiana Department of Transportation’s Shawn Wilson called it an opportunity to finally get cars off the road, reducing congestion and helping with climate responsibility efforts.
Getting the passenger train on the track between the two cities full-time still means crossing several hurdles for the governor and his team. They want to use about $25 million in unspent federal pandemic money to get the project started. So far, lawmakers have only agreed to spend about half that amount.
