Federal Monies Okayed for New Tri-Rail Locomotives

	Congressman Ron Klein's visit was part of his Recovery Act Oversight Tour kick off. « Previous | Next »

September 18, 2009

At a news conference at the intermodal transit center in West Palm Beach, County Commission Vice Chairman Burt Aaronson welcomed U.S. Rep. Ron Klein to announce the approval of $13.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for the purchase of four new Tri-Rail locomotives. Joining them were Palm Tran Director Chuck Cohen and Joseph Giulietti, executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.

Commissioner Aaronson thanked Congressman Klein for obtaining the stimulus money, and he urged state lawmakers to approve a dedicated funding source to help pay for Tri-Rail operations, such as a $2 surcharge on vehicle rentals. “The fact of the matter is if the state doesn’t move off the dime,” he said, “those locomotives will go unused, and that’s something none of us want to have happen.”