WASHINGTON – Today, an agreement was reached among stakeholders on the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant which will provide crucial funding to restore passenger rail service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The $178,435,333 grant was previously awarded by the Federal Railroad Administration.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has used his position as Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee to restore the return of passenger rail to the Gulf Coast for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. While serving as chairman, he helped negotiate the infrastructure bill which is the origin of the CRISI Grant.

Senator Wicker released the following statement:

“I appreciate the partnership shared by local and state government officials and the freight rail companies, CSX, and Norfolk Southern. This service will provide economic opportunities to the Gulf Coast Region and provide an alternative way to move people safely. Years of hard work and cooperation have brought us to this important moment,” Senator Wicker said.

Scheduled to resume in 2025, the services are expected to provide economic growth opportunities, boost tourism, and reduce traffic on our roadways. Two trains will run roundtrip from New Orleans to Mobile with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held today in Mobile for the layover track, where a train is stored when not in use. That piece of the project had been one of the remaining hurdles to restoring the route.