Budget hearings in Albany included a discussion of high speed rail funding in western New York.
Officials from the State Department of Transportation were the last to testify last week.
Local State Assemblyman David Gantt, Chair of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, questioned DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald about the progress of high speed rail in upstate New York.
McDonald says the DOT plans to use federal funds to build new tracks upstate and an environmental impact statement on what investment is needed to bring that corridor to 90 to 110 miles per hour is close to completion.
She added the DOT, Amtrak and CSX recently reached an agreement to invest close to 500-million dollars on the Hudson line, between New York City and Schenectady.
Public safety is the focus of Monday’s hearings in Albany on the proposed state budget.
