The association sponsored a three-day conference in New York that included a series of endorsements for high-speed rail from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other current and former transportation leaders.
The Obama administration has awarded $10.4 billion in economic stimulus money for proposed high-speed rail projects since last year, including $2.4 billion to 23 states announced in late October. Obama has praised high-speed rail as a clean energy option and has lamented how the United States has fallen behind China and Europe in high-speed rail.
High-speed rail is endorsed as a way to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions because people would ride the trains instead of driving or flying to their destinations. It is also seen as an economic development incentive by attracting new industry and business opportunity to areas it serves. Labor organizations favor the high-speed rail because of jobs it would create in the construction phase and beyond.
But the brakes are being put on high-speed rail in some states. Governors-elect Scott Walker of Wisconsin and John Kasich of Ohio want to put money awarded their two states for high-speed rail into road projects instead.
LaHood wrote both governors last week stating that their high-speed rail money cannot be used for other purposes and will be redirected to other states. He reiterated that Monday in speaking to hundreds of people attending the high-speed rail conference.
Akin to the Interstate Highway System?
LaHood likened the dawn of high-speed rail to other turning points in American transportation history, such as the Interstate highway system in the 1950s.
“Just like with interstates in the 1950s, we haven't yet drawn every single route on the map,” LaHood said in prepared remarks. “We don't yet know what every single financing agreement will look like. But it took 50 years to build a state-of-the art interstate system and I believe that 25 years from now we'll have a state-of-the-art high speed rail system, built by American workers right here in the Unites States.”
Opponents of high-speed rail say it is way too expensive to build at a time when the country has so many other needs. The US High Speed Rail Association said its proposed plan would cost $600 billion to develop over the next 20 years.
Some opponents say that greater use of hybrid cars would save more energy than high-speed rail with none of the cost. They also point to continuing operating and maintenance costs that would be a drain on public dollars.
The Nov. 2 election results turned up the volume against high-speed rail as Republicans defeated Democrats who tended to be more supportive.
Partisanship Criticized
“To see them take a political stand on high-speed rail is disappointing,” said Petra Todorovich, director of America 2050, a Washington organization that is part of the Regional Plan Association. The group did a recent research paper that analyzed where high-speed rail is most viable. “It's not a partisan issue,” she said.
Todorovich doesn't see Republican gains in the election as a threat to the overall high-speed rail agenda. “In fact, it could benefit the program by directing grants to a more narrow section of projects that have the most support,” she said.
The America 2050 study said the northeast holds the most potential for high-speed rail because of high population, existing rail lines and connecting service, and intense congestion on roads and airports that need relief.
The study says the four most suitable routes for high-speed rail, based on potential demand, are New York to Washington, Philadelphia to Washington, Boston to New York and Baltimore to New York. Todorovich noted that incoming New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo supports high-speed rail.
Other areas the study considers ripe for high-speed rail are the Chicago region and the Los Angeles and Bay areas of California.
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