Master FIR (1988)

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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Garcia		DATE TYPED:	01/26/01		HB
SHORT TITLE:		Proposed Amtrak Service				SB	92
					ANALYST:		Valdes

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY01	FY02	FY01	FY02	Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
	$ 300.0			Non-recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Highway and Transportation Department

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 92 appropriates $300.0 to the State Highway and Transportation Department to :

•Conduct a three-day demonstration of rail passenger service between El Paso, Texas and Albuquerque at an estimated cost of $100.0.

•Develop an engineering, economic and safety analysis of the demonstration to determine future long-term feasibility of extended service.

Significant Issues

•If permanent service is provided by Amtrak, this would provide a transportation alternative to existing travel modes throughout the Rio Grande corridor.

•Proposed service would connect two existing east/west national Amtrak routes and provide access for national and international railroad travelers to the communities of Albuquerque, Belen, Los Lunas, Socorro, Truth or Consequences, Las Cruces, Mesilla and El Paso.

•Gateway service to Mexico could also be provided.

•It is the goal of the department to take all practical steps to improve the quality of rail freight and passenger services in New Mexico.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

If this demonstration project is successful and permanent service is established, this would improve the department's Public Transportation program performance by providing increased transportation alternatives to individuals so they are not restricted to traveling by personal automobiles. It would also improve commercial and industrial transportation along the Rio Grande corridor.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Because this bill appropriates $300.0 from the General Fund, limited road funds used by the department for program operations would not be affected.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

This bill would not require additional department staffing. Technical services mandated by this bill would be contracted out.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

This project would require coordination with the State of Texas, Amtrak and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company.

MV/ar