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Federal Government Allocates $19M For Northeast Corridor Amtrak Improvements

HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - There is a light at the end of the tunnel for Connecticut commuters unhappy with train service in the state.

The federal government has allocated $19 million into the federal budget specifically for rail improvements on the Northeast Corridor, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said some of the funding will go to repairing aging bridges.  

"We can cut down the transit time to and from New York City by five or 10 minutes just by fixing some of these old bridges," Murphy said.

Murphy said this is more than just convenience.

"Rail here in Connecticut is the blood of our economy," he said.

According to Murphy, the total package for Amtrak is $1.4 billion, which will help pay for positive train controls and safety system improvements.

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