HARRISBURG - Governor Edward Rendell said that the investment of more than $26 million in two Pennsylvania high speed rail projects will help increase ridership, improve competitiveness and create jobs over the next two years. The investment, announced by President Obama, Thursday, is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Notably absent from the list is the planned “Lackawanna Cutoff” rail link between Scranton, the Poconos and Hoboken. 

The funding includes:

• $25.6 million to continue improvements to the Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

• $750,000 for a feasibility study to determine improvements needed to make high speed passenger rail service on the Keystone Corridor West between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh a reality.

"Investing in high speed rail passenger service is critical to our future economic success because it increases our competitiveness and relieves congestion on our overburdened highways," Governor Rendell said.