Construction on a $58-million high-speed rail starter project between Riga and Byron could begin later this year. | Earlier this year, New York received $151 million to advance statewide high-speed rail projects, which is the source of the money to build the track between the two communities. This would be an 11-mile stretch of new track that'll be in addition to what's already there. | "Any time we talk about each one of these projects, we understand they're pieces of the puzzle," says Victoria Dillon, a spokeswoman for Congress member Louise Slaughter. Slaughter's pushed heavily for high-speed rail in New York. | The Riga-Byron stretch of track is meant as a simple starting point for bringing high-speed rail to New York: it won't require new land acquisitions or rights of way, for example. | The way things work now, passenger and freight trains share the same tracks across New York State, which causes delays for passenger trains. Putting down a new statewide track would reduce conflicts and let the passenger trains travel faster - up to 110 mph. Until other sections of the state corridor are completed, however, it won't save passengers much in the way of travel time.