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Politics & Government

RivCo Supvs Look at Daily Amtrak for Valley

Proposal will include increased stops, and possible daily Indio - LA service

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors next week will consider whether to support a proposal to establish daily Amtrak service to the Coachella Valley.

At their first meeting following a weeks-long summer recess, the
supervisors on Tuesday will take up Supervisor John Benoit's proposal to back
the Coachella Valley Association of Governments' resolution urging Amtrak to
move ahead with its Sunset Limited expansion plan.

Under the plan, Amtrak would schedule daily passenger stops in the
Coachella Valley on its Los Angeles-to-San Antonio line.

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Currently, Amtrak's Sunset Limited trains stop three times a week in
North Palm Springs en route to New Orleans and coming back from the Bayou
State, via San Antonio.

"There is strong local support in Riverside County for alternate public
transit due to rapid population growth in the Coachella Valley,'' according
to a statement from Benoit's office.

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The CVAG resolution also calls on Amtrak to consider daily intercity
service to Indio on a circuit that encompasses Colton, Fullerton and Los
Angeles, using Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks.

The change could also mean an additional stop at the Riverside Vine
Street station and in Banning, according to the Riverside County Transportation
Commission.

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