From former Govs. James B. Hunt, a Democrat, and James G. Martin, a Republican:

As former governors with historical roles in North Carolina's passenger rail program, we'd like to offer some perspective on the current debate over federal funding for the state's passenger rail program.

First, some background: The vision for the restoration of passenger rail in North Carolina was set forth during the Martin administration (1985-1993). The Governor's Rail Task Force, appointed by Gov. Martin, recommended the basic rail plan that has been state policy ever since - inauguration of the Charlotte to New York Carolinian service, creation of a program to improve train speed and reliability from Charlotte to Raleigh, and protection of rail corridors for future growth.

The Hunt administration carried forward that vision during his third and fourth terms (1993-2001) with a tripling of state funding for rail safety and travel time reduction, creation of a new rail division in the state Department of Transportation and inauguration of the state-sponsored daily Piedmont service between Raleigh and Charlotte.

We're pleased to see that early investment in passenger rail service bear fruit in North Carolina. Last year, more than 800,000 passengers rode Amtrak's trains through North Carolina. The state enjoyed the nation's highest percentage ridership gain last year with the addition of a new mid-day Piedmont train.

Today, the state provides three daily round trips between Charlotte and Raleigh, with stops at seven towns and cities. Fourteen cities boast handsomely renovated train stations, attracting new investment to their downtown cores. New jobs have been created, both to build and maintain the track and to operate the trains.

Most importantly, North Carolinians now have a real transportation alternative competitive with automobile travel between Charlotte and Raleigh. Since we started the service, that trip has been cut by nearly an hour, and further time reductions will occur with the planned new investment.

While enabling travelers to avoid the traffic jams on the interstates, the rail option also saves fuel and cuts air pollution.

That's just the beginning. The $545 million federal grant the state won enables the state to add double tracks, straighten curves, add passing sidings and eliminate dangerous road crossings. This enhances safety and further reduces travel times for rail patrons.

The rail program creates jobs - thousands in the next few years. It is a much-needed injection of new business for the state's engineering and construction firms, so hard hit by the recession.

Still, there are some in the General Assembly who question the benefits of this investment. They assert that rail expansion will bring greater costs for operations and maintenance. The fact is the additional cost by the year 2037 will amount to just $18.3 million a year - much less than the $100 million annual cost of maintaining our primary highway system. The $545 million in federal rail funding requires not a penny of N.C. tax revenues.

We are proud of the progress that has been made since our administrations launched and expanded passenger rail in North Carolina. Today, we have a new vision: Faster and more reliable service and eventually completion of a Southeast Rail Corridor that will whisk passengers from Charlotte to Raleigh to Richmond to Washington and beyond. Just think what a three-hour train link from Raleigh to Washington will do for economic development in North Carolina!

The federal dollars are essential for making that vision a reality. We urge the General Assembly not to create roadblocks that will keep that bright transportation future from benefiting our state.