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A proposal to extend passenger rail service to Lewiston and Auburn isn’t exactly on the fast track, but it is chugging along after lawmakers this week backed further study of the idea.
The $180,000 proposal would build on a 2019 study of rail options between Portland and the state’s second largest metropolitan area to require the state Department of Transportation to provide “an economic evaluation of commuter and passenger rail service” on the route by next March.
Proponents hope that with a solid plan in place, the state may be able to grab a chunk of cash from President Joe Biden’s $80 billion initiative to bolster rail travel across the country, which has yet to win congressional approval.