Subject: 19844/SupportAmtrakService
Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 09:37:00 -0500


                            RESOLUTION NO.   19844  
                  
                  
                   A RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES
                   CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE EXTENSION OF AMTRAK
                   RAIL SERVICE BETWEEN NEW YORK AND ATLANTA OR
                   BIRMINGHAM THROUGH EAST TENNESSEE.
                  
                  
                                                    
                  
                  
       	    	 WHEREAS, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation
       ("Amtrak") has recently completed an internal study of proposed
       new rail routes, including a new line from New York to Atlanta by 

       way of East Tennessee; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, the proposed new route would connect major
       northeast cities with Atlanta through the eastern Tennessee 
cities
       of Bristol, Morristown, Greeneville, Knoxville, Athens, Cleveland 

       and Chattanooga; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, such new line would serve as a logical
       expansion of Amtrak's national network and would link major
       population centers in western Virginia and eastern Tennessee with 

       New York and Atlanta; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, because of declining air and bus service to
       many of these cities, the new Amtrak route would provide badly
       needed transportation access and act as a catalyst to development 

       of local economies; and
       	    	 WHEREAS, passenger rail service would provide additional
       support and increased visibility to such area economic 
development
       projects as the 1996 Olympics;
                                NOW, THEREFORE,
       	    	 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
       CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, That the proposal to extend Amtrak 
service
       between New York and Atlanta or Birmingham via East Tennessee be
       and is hereby endorsed and that said Council hereby urges the
       United States Congress to support the expansion of Amtrak service 

       as part of the proposed New York-Atlanta-Birmingham Route.
      
       ADOPTED:	 May 25, 1993
      
       RLN:cjc