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Put Savannah-Atlanta passenger rail on the fast track to boost economy, connectivity
Amtrak s proposal to use funds from President Biden s infrastructure plan to create line harkens back to the days of Nancy Hanks train
Bill Dawers
This is a column by City Talk s Bill Dawers, a longtime contributor to the Savannah Morning News.
Amtrak’s recent release of a map with a proposed Savannah-to-Atlanta route has folks buzzing about the future of rail travel in the state and has also fueled nostalgia for the Nancy Hanks, the passenger train that connected the two cities from 1947 to 1971.
The new route across Georgia could become a reality under President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan, which would make massive investments in infrastructure including $80 billion for rail over the next decade.
For most Savannahians looking to get to Atlanta, there are really only two options: drive or fly.
The drive is long and prone to Atlanta traffic. The flight is quick, but expensive. But both Amtrak and Georgia legislators are considering a third option that hasn t been available since 1971: a train.
Earlier this month, Amtrak released a proposed map of new and expanded service if it can land the $80 billion President Joe Biden proposed for the rail service as part of his American Jobs Plan, a massive $2 trillion plan to rebuild the nation s aging infrastructure.
On that map are quite a few railway expansions, including one that Amtrak abandoned in 1971 but that remains in the memory of some Savannahians: the line that was used by Nancy Hanks.