The headline to the Oct. 21 story “Potential rail use conflicts with Portland-Auburn bike trail plans” (Page B1) may have misled readers.

There is no conflict. The state-owned rail line, like all those purchased since the 1980s, continues, by law, to make rail use the top priority. It’s entirely appropriate for the Maine Department of Transportation to negotiate renewal of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic agreement, because prospects for the line’s reuse have never been better.

The $66 billion for rail improvements in the infrastructure bill just passed by Congress represents a historic investment – far greater than any federal support since the creation of Amtrak in 1971, a half-century ago.

Maine is definitely in line for a substantial share, since it still has impressive rail infrastructure connecting all parts of the state – especially Portland.

Another misleading statement, in the story’s last paragraph, is that converting to a recreational trail “would not jeopardize … passenger rail service” because another line “runs nearly parallel.”

Both lines are needed for rail. One is the Freight Mainline, owned and operated by PanAm, over which Amtrak could extend service to Lewiston and beyond.

The other, the state-owned St. Lawrence and Atlantic, could be routed from Portland and Auburn right into downtown Lewiston, with self-propelled, battery-electric trains providing passenger service between Maine’s most densely populated urban areas, which are again growing by leaps and bounds.

Maine has a historic opportunity to revive and expand transit and public transportation in countless innovative ways. We shouldn’t be foreclosing any options until we evaluate all the possibilities.

Anthony Donovan
Portland

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