The Coalition for the Northeast Corridor, a group of businesses and stakeholders that advocate for infrastructure and investment improvements along the Northeast Corridor railway line, has retained law firm Holland & Knight to pitch members of Congress on passenger rail funding and infrastructure.

The Northeast Corridor is the busy railway line used by Amtrak trains running between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Last year, Amtrak reported annual ridership along the corridor of about 12 million.

CNEC

CNEC, which was formed in December, seeks to educate the public, stakeholders and political leaders regarding the benefits of the NEC, its myriad projects and its vision for future growth. The coalition’s founding members include Alstom, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, Drexel University and Siemens USA.

The federal government last year loaned Amtrak $2.45 billion for a series of infrastructure and efficiency projects along the corridor, which funded an upgrade to tracks and platform improvements, as well as the purchase of new trains.

The account will be led by H&K senior policy advisor Michael Friedberg, who was previously staff director of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials in the House’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Friedberg also formerly served on the professional staff of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations on the Labor, Health and Human Services and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittees.