Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation To Fund or Seek Funding To Complete a Design and Engineering Assessment for the Extension of Passenger Rail Service from Portland North on the State-owned St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway Corridor
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0999
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: CRAVEN, RUSSELL, CLEVELAND, GERZOFSKY, MAZUREK, LAJOIE, LIBBY, PLANTE, ROTUNDO, WERTS

Legislative Document 
No. 999 
S.P. 344 
In Senate, March 12, 2013 
Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation To Fund or 
Seek Funding To Complete a Design and Engineering Assessment 
for the Extension of Passenger Rail Service from Portland North on 
the State-owned St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway Corridor 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator CRAVEN of Androscoggin. 
Cosponsored by Representative RUSSELL of Portland and 
Senators: CLEVELAND of Androscoggin, GERZOFSKY of Cumberland, MAZUREK of 
Knox, Representatives: LAJOIE of Lewiston, LIBBY of Lewiston, PLANTE of Berwick, 
ROTUNDO of Lewiston, WERTS of Auburn. 
Sec. 1.  Completion of the existing environmental assessment.  Resolved:  
That the Department of Transportation shall fund, or seek funding, to complete and 
update the existing environmental assessment for the project for the extension of 
passenger rail service from Portland north if an update of this assessment still meets 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 United States Code, 
Chapter 55 or to conduct a new assessment to determine whether restoration of the rail 
line for passenger rail service, which is the subject of the existing assessment, with 
appropriate mitigation measures would have a significant impact on the human and 
natural environment; and be it further  
Sec. 2.  Completion of the construction costs and engineering analysis for 
track and related improvements.  Resolved:  That the Department of 
Transportation shall fund, or seek funding, to complete the cost and feasibility study 
necessary to fund restoration of the state-owned St. Lawrence and Atlantic railway 
corridor for passenger rail service, consistent with the department's "Portland North 
Alternative Modes Transportation Project" study, including calculations of appropriate 
costs of track, signals and bridge improvements associated with rail; highway 
improvements at highway-rail grade crossings; and warning system upgrades, control 
signals, new rail and required sidings; and be it further 
Sec. 3.  Report.  Resolved:  That the Department of Transportation shall submit a 
report to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation by December 15, 2013 
regarding the funding of activities under sections 1 and 2.  The Joint Standing Committee 
on Transportation may submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 126th 
Legislature regarding the report. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Department of Transportation to fund or seek funding to 
provide engineering and design work necessary to qualify the state-owned St. Lawrence 
and Atlantic railway corridor, from Portland to the Auburn city line, for federal capital 
investment funding consistent with the passenger rail service investments evaluated and 
proposed in the Department of Transportation's 2011 "Portland North Alternative Modes 
Transportation Project" study.  The department shall report back to the Legislature with 
information regarding funding on or before December 15, 2013.