A Small Step for High-Speed Rail in America

So far "thirty five states have accepted high-speed intercity rail money". Even so, after all is said and done, America may still be leaps and bounds behind other nations in rapid, environmentally sound transportation.

High-speed transit systems have become more widely accepted and available in countries such as France, Belgium, Spain and Japan. Travelling from Paris to Brussels, a distance of 184 miles, takes less than an hour and a half by way of high-speed rail (HSR). Commuting between Barcelona and Madrid, a distance of 325 miles, takes just over two and a half hours for an HSR user in Spain. In Japan, travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto takes but a mere two hours and twenty minutes thanks to the their extremely efficient rail system.

A version of “rapid” transportation in America presently being used is that of “Acela,” Amtrak’s express train running from Boston to New York to Washington. Acela travels at an average speed of just 71 miles per hour between its three hubs compared to Renfe of Spain, which travels between Barcelona and Madrid at an average speed of 125 miles per hour.

President Obama’s allocation of funding for high-speed rail across America is promising for transportation enthusiasts, but U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s statement that “35 states have accepted high-speed intercity rail money” may be a misleading one. As with most any assertion by a politician, the key to his statement was in the wording: high-speed intercity rail money.

The states listed by LaHood and the Transportation Department as having accepted high-speed rail money include: Michigan, Illinois, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, New York, Georgia, Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, California, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Florida.

States such as Kansas serve to illustrate the importance of reading into Mr. LaHood’s statement in detail.  In Kansas, there is no designated “high-speed rail” alignment for construction of a new rapid transit system. Rather, the funding that has been accepted by Kansas will be used to improve and adapt an existing line between Kansas City and Oklahoma City. More puzzling is that the list includes the states of Wisconsin, Ohio, and Florida – states that have rejected federal funding for high-speed rail.

In the case of Florida’s rejection of federal funding for a high-speed rail system, one state’s misfortune may be another’s prosperity. Until April 4th, the $2.4 billion that was allocated to Florida for a HSR project will be up for bid via state-by-state applications sent to the Transportation Department.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently met with Transportation Secretary LaHood to discuss Michigan’s bid to obtain some of that $2.4 billion. .

One can only hope that the governor’s talks and bid are successful so Michigan, at least, can be among the first to take steps toward offering its citizens the high-speed transit systems that other developed countries around the world currently enjoy.

Click here to listen to Gov. Snyder speak in detail regarding his position on HSR at a "Pancakes and Politics" breakfast with the Michigan Chronicle. 

Photo Credit: www.leadingbrandsofspain.com