Gov. Jeff Landry is not opposed to passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, but he would rather see three lanes on either side of Interstate 10 along that route, he told The Advocate — The Times-Picayune on Tuesday.
"The problem you get in the rail system is where is it going to stop, how often is it going to stop, who is going to use it. Those are things we don't know. Right now I know that I-10 is one of the busiest corridors in the state," he said. "(I'm) not saying that I'm opposed to any rail, but I would much rather fix our roads."
The Baton Rouge- New Orleans rail was a priority that former Gov. John Bel Edwards pushed during his final days in office, dedicating $20.5 million to the project. But it has been unclear whether Landry would take up that mantle.
Proponents of the rail say Landry's support is critical.
"The next step is for this administration to make a decision as to whether they want to support (the project)," said John Spain, a member of the Southern Rail Commission.
To make the train a reality, the state would need to apply for more funds and sign an operating agreement, he said.
In 2022 and 2023, the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development applied for $300 million in federal grant funding that it was later denied, agency spokesperson Rodney Mallett said in a statement.
Instead, the state was selected for the Corridor ID program, an intensive process whereby it will plan the rail's implementation. Once that is complete, Louisiana will be eligible to receive more federal funding, according to the DOTD.
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