WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King announced that they secured federal funding to support the construction of a new Amtrak Downeaster station in Portland. The $48,136,000 investment is to help relocate Portland’s existing station, improving the speed and reliability of passenger rail service in Maine, according to their joint Aug. 14 news release. 

According to MaineBiz, the new station is to be sited between Northern Light Mercy Hospital and St. John Street. 

“The Downeaster is an essential transportation link for the people of Maine, connecting communities, supporting our economy, and providing a reliable alternative to getting in the car or boarding an airplane,” they said, in the release. “Relocating Portland’s station to the mainline is a commonsense investment that will mean shorter trips, fewer delays, and better connections for passengers traveling throughout Maine and New England. We’re proud to have helped secure this federal funding to help move this long-awaited project forward and strengthen passenger rail service for generations to come.”

The project has been selected to advance through final design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority is to provide a 20 percent non-federal match.

Amtrak’s Downeaster provides daily passenger rail service connecting Brunswick and communities throughout southern Maine with Boston, Massachusetts. The service is managed by NNEPRA and serves communities including Freeport, Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and Wells.