OLD LYME — The Federal Railroad Administration will announce their preliminary decision to reroute high-speed Amtrak trains at 11 a.m. today.
The FRA endorsed a proposal in October 2016 that would send trains through Old Lyme and several other Connecticut and Rhode Island shoreline communities.
Although the FRA said rerouting these trains would improve the capacity, speed, and resiliency along the northeast rail corridor, many Old Lyme residents have been vocally against this proposal, saying it would hurt small towns.
The FRA originally estimated that the $120 billion plan would decrease travel times between Washington and New York by 35 minutes on the fastest trains and also save 45 minutes to an hour on trips between Boston and New York.
President Donald Trump named Ron Batory as a candidate to lead the FRA on Tuesday evening. Sen. Richard Blumenthal weighed in on the nomination saying, “If confirmed, Ron Batory will be tasked with bringing our country’s aging rail network into the 21st century, an immense responsibility with tremendous opportunity to support job growth and economic development in Connecticut and nationwide.”
