March 5, 2022 - TRA Newswire -

Amtrak President and CEO Stephen Gardner will be one of the presenters at SXSW in Austin during the annual mega-event. For the first time in over fifty years, there is game-changing federal investment on the way for passenger rail and it couldn’t be happening at a more critical moment, according to the Amtrak listing on the program. The presentation, titled "Hate Traffic? How to Achieve America’s Train Dream" will be held March 14 during SXSW events at the Hilton hotel in downtown Austin.

Gardner's company will be one of the recipients of billions of dollars from the new Infrastructure Law, which was enacted by Congress months after Amtrak announced its 2035 vision plan called AmtrakConnectsUS. That vision calls for expansion in three passenger rail corridors across Texas and in other parts of the country.




"America must confront climate change, unsafe roads, and chronic traffic congestion", according to the SXSW statement. "Since the construction of the highways in the 1950s, cars have been consistently prioritized above other forms of travel. But we can change that together, fueled by the funding commitments now in place. Building on the successful train service that already serves over 500 communities in the U.S. today, we can respond to people across the country calling for a safer, greener future with better, more sustainable alternatives to driving and flying that are accessible to all."
According to Amtrak, they are ready to work with states, communities, and the public to deliver the second great passenger rail revolution. The Amtrak ConnectsUS vision includes 39 new routes, 25 improved existing routes, 160 new stops, and 20 million more riders each year.