Can we expect to see construction of Alaska-Alberta rail line soon?

Officials are looking into light-rail expansion between Alexandria and Quantico.

Progress Rail

No one needs to officially see this permit to know it is legit. President Trump made an announcement via Twitter that he has issued a Presidential Permit for the construction of a rail line that will run between Alberta, Canada, and Alaska.

The Alaska-Alberta Railway Development Corporation has been trying to convince officials that the route is needed since 2015. The company says the route will serve as a freight link between the U.S. and Asia.

Construction of the track is expected to cost $22 billion. It will run between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Fort McMurray, Alta, and would connect to the existing Alaska Railway, which serves Anchorage, Alaska. The new line also would link to the North American rail network through Alberta. The project will be privately funded and the track will be privately owned.

Canada has jurisdiction over a large majority of the proposed line and environmental assessments have not begun. Environmental reviews and land acquisition must be dealt with in the U.S. before the railroad gets the official green light.

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