Opinion: Relocating Portland Station will transform passenger rail in Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 5, 2026

Last month, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) and the public got word that NNEPRA would receive $48 million in federal funding for the design and construction of a new Amtrak Downeaster passenger rail station on St. John Street in Portland. This was fantastic news. More passengers, more revenue, improved safety, reduced costs and less fuel burned. Staying put is not an option. ~ James Cohen, former Portland mayor and board chair of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority; Alan Casavant, former Biddeford mayor and vice chair of NNEPRA