John Spain kicked off this morning’s Smart Growth Summit panel discussion on the long-proposed passenger rail line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans with a simple question: “If the train were running today, how many of you would be riding it?”
The hand of nearly every single one of the roughly 70 people in attendance shot up.
“We’re going to have a good morning,” said a smiling Spain, executive vice president of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and vice chair of the Southern Rail Commission.
The reaction from the audience reflects the broad public support for the rail line, but the panel discussion that followed Spain’s opening remarks made clear it will take a lot more than a public consensus to make passenger rail service between Louisiana’s two largest metro areas a reality.
“The next step is really to have the new governor buy into this project,” said Kristin Gisleson Palmer, chair of the Louisiana Super Region Rail Authority, who was joined on the panel by SRC Chair Greg White and Knox Ross, SRC secretary and treasurer.
To that end, the SRC recently compiled a five-step plan for the next governor to bring the rail line to fruition. Both Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards, who are in the Nov. 21 runoff election to be the next governor, have voiced support for the rail line in vague terms at a forum during the campaigns, though they have indicated the extent of their support will be determined by funding and other details.
“We have given a playbook to the next governor to put the rail line into service during his first term in office,” said Palmer, “and we believe it’s possible.”
The playbook, released by SRC in September, outlines five steps needed to establish the rail service: Designating funding for any needed capital expenses and operating support; plan the service; negotiate an operating agreement with the railroad companies that own the tracks on which the passenger train would traverse; complete the capital work needed, such as terminals and infrastructure improvements; and prepare for the service launch in connection with the host railroads.
A feasibility study unveiled in February last year identified roughly $262 million in capital improvements needed to support a rail service traveling at up to 79 miles per hour. The most expensive improvement needed is a new 1.8-mile bridge over the Bonnet Carré Spillway, which would cost an estimated $62 million. In its current condition, the wooden bridge restricts trains to travel across at just 10 mph. Other improvements needed include new bridges, signals, crossings and track work.
The feasibility study outlines several options for funding and financing the needed capital improvements, as well as the estimated $6.78 million required to fund annual operations of the rail service. Among the suggestions is raising the statewide gas tax by a half cent per gallon, tacking on an additional 1% rental car tax in the seven parishes along the line, increasing the hotel tax levied in the seven parishes by 1% and assessing a 3% “value capture” tax on properties within a half mile of the line.
“None of these approaches should be considered in isolation,” reads the five-step plan. “A combination of these mechanisms and a partnership between the state and local governments would be the most robust and sustainable approach.”
Between rail hubs in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, five stops are envisioned for the line: one in Baton Rouge in the area around the Mall of Louisiana and planned Medical District; Gonzales; LaPlace; suburban Kenner; and one in Jefferson Parish.
Negotiating an operating agreement with Kansas City Southern, which owns about 66.5 miles of track on the proposed route, as well as Canadian National Railroad, which owns 7.5 miles near New Orleans, is key to bringing the service to fruition. As the five-point plan notes, “KCS has indicated that they do not wish to engage in future conversations or invest further resources in this project without a clear indication that it has necessary support from the governor and committed funding.”
While KCS and CNR could prove to be significant barriers to the rail service, Spain said following the panel discussion that they cannot single-handedly halt the service if Amtrak is contracted to provide the service.
“They can’t say no as long as we use Amtrak,” said Spain, noting a U.S. statute that gives the government-funded agency the authority to operate passenger rail service on all freight railroads as long as it compensates the railroad for incremental costs for the service. “They can make it expensive, but they can’t stop it.”
The two-day Smart Growth Summit, presented by the Center for Planning Excellence, concludes today with a keynote address by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx at 3 p.m. Among the events on Monday, former King County, Washington, Executive Ron Sims called for an expansion of green space to attract and retain talent and businesses, and a panel discussion took place on the financial benefits on green building.
—Steve Sanoski
