America AND Florida is Ready for High-Speed Rail

[FayeforCure]

I'm impressed with U.S. Secretary of Transportation's new Blog. See below on what LaHood says about the potential of High-Speed rail ( Florida included), to be an engine of growth.

We would be foolish not to get our state to take advantage of the availability of federal funding.

And if anyone says otherwise, it's because their priorities are with a pet rail project that has been languishing. It's short-sighted thinking, to put everything on hold pending that particular pet project being realized.

We can do better than that,........what we need is a long-term view, working on different aspects of our intermodal system simultaneously. Putting up an arbitrary sequence centered around one specific pet community ( commuter) rail project in one's own backyard does a disservice to the rest of Florida.

Be careful when you hear people opposing high speed rail for Florida. As LaHood says in this excerpt:

High-speed rail travel will offer competitive door-to-door trip times. It will reduce congestion on key routes between cities. It will reduce our dependence on oil. It will reduce pollution. And, it will create the jobs of the future, the jobs America needs right now.

Can we build a new industry with $8 billion? We can start. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; Europe and Japan already use this technology. We need only put people to work here making it happen.

This administration is not looking to abandon air travel or highways. We’re looking to increase options for convenient, efficient travel in the most sustainable ways possible.

From LaHood's blog entry yesterday in his personal blog called the Fast Lane.

March 19, 2009
High-speed rail: an engine of growth
I’ve been focused this week on talking about livable cities, but I don’t want anyone to think we’re ignoring inter-city travel.

If you read any news at all about transportation in the past 6 weeks, you know about the $8 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investment we’re making in high-speed rail (HSR). I’ve been hearing from many enthusiastic rail advocates, and news outlets across the country have been writing editorials championing HSR. More importantly, there is a growing list of states and cities that want to get working on this right away.

Let me remind anyone who doesn’t already know it that I’m from Peoria, Illinois. So, when I consider rail, my first thoughts are of the old Rock Island Rocket that ran to Chicago in my youth. That train, with its GM Electro-Motive engine and its legendary speed, dominated the imaginations of me and my friends.

People rode the Rocket because of the convenience and efficiency it offered. And, with the ARRA high-speed rail investment, President Obama and I want to develop a 21st century equivalent of that efficiency and convenience.

High-speed rail travel will offer competitive door-to-door trip times. It will reduce congestion on key routes between cities. It will reduce our dependence on oil. It will reduce pollution. And, it will create the jobs of the future, the jobs America needs right now.

Can we build a new industry with $8 billion? We can start. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; Europe and Japan already use this technology. We need only put people to work here making it happen.

This administration is not looking to abandon air travel or highways. We’re looking to increase options for convenient, efficient travel in the most sustainable ways possible.

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2009/03/highspeed-rail-an-engine-of-growth.html

[cline]

I'm impressed with U.S. Secretary of Transportation's new Blog. See below on what LaHood says about the potential of High-Speed rail ( Florida included), to be an engine of growth.

We would be foolish not to get our state to take advantage of the availability of federal funding.

As has been discussed before on here, why should we jump right into (and spend tons of money on) HSR when we could have intercity service in Florida via Amtrak?  Did you read the article on the front page of MJ today, there is currently a push for this sort of intercity passenger rail.

[FayeforCure]

I'm impressed with U.S. Secretary of Transportation's new Blog. See below on what LaHood says about the potential of High-Speed rail ( Florida included), to be an engine of growth.

We would be foolish not to get our state to take advantage of the availability of federal funding.

As has been discussed before on here, why should we jump right into (and spend tons of money on) HSR when we could have intercity service in Florida via Amtrak?  Did you read the article on the front page of MJ today, there is currently a push for this sort of intercity passenger rail.

cline, the key is to do these projects simultaneously, as they are funded from different pots.

You are not serious about passing up funding from the $8 billion pot for HSR, are you?

Think of the jobs it would mean for Florida, and for achieving LaHood's stated objective "to increase options for convenient, efficient travel in the most sustainable ways possible."

Let me remind you that Florida lost 250,000 jobs in 2008!

Besides Florida has some major catching up to do. While other states were catching federal dolars for all kind of rail projects, Florida has been stuck on one commuter rail project for over a decade. It's time we catch out fair share of federal dollars for rail!!!!!!!!

[cline]

You are not serious about passing up funding from the $8 billion pot for HSR, are you?

Please explain to me what kind of high speed rail system 8 billion will get us.  The proposed California system alone is going to cost 50 billion. 

[FayeforCure]

You are not serious about passing up funding from the $8 billion pot for HSR, are you?

Please explain to me what kind of high speed rail system 8 billion will get us.  The proposed California system alone is going to cost 50 billion. 

cline, first off, CA's system is a much longer strech than what we would be starting with in FL. They have passed Proposition 1A in 2008, which passed with 53% of the vote, for state funding of their HRS:

To provide Californians a safe, convenient, affordable, and reliable alternative to driving and high gas prices; to provide good-paying jobs and improve California's economy while reducing air pollution, global warming greenhouse gases, and our dependence on foreign oil, shall $9.95 billion in bonds be issued to establish a clean, efficient high-speed train service linking Southern California, the Sacramento/San Joaquin Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area, with at least 90 percent of bond funds spent for specific projects, with federal and private matching funds required, all bond funds subject to an independent audit.

http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/prop/1A/

My Word: High-speed rail would be win-win for Central Florida
Linda Stewart | Special To The Sentinel
March 12, 2009
In the midst of uncertain times, our state has an exciting opportunity. Florida can qualify for federal money to help build a high-speed-rail system.

High-speed rail would reduce the number of vehicles on our roads and lessen the corresponding amounts of harmful pollutants they expel into our air. This opportunity would provide thousands of permanent jobs and give residents and visitors a new ecological mass-transportation option.

Other states want these federal funds that were specifically set aside for a high-speed-rail system, but due to the previous work done by the High Speed Rail Authority under the guidance of Lee Chira, our state is in a favorable bid position for a portion of the $8 billion in stimulus money.

Requirements for this application can be met, since we have already performed an environmental study, right-of-way-acquisition identification and engineering reviews. The connectivity between high-speed rail and SunRail, along with connection to bus circulators around Orlando International Airport, the Orange County Convention Center and employment centers, is part of the long term. The initial leg could be built within 18 months and the final segments completed within the time allotted by the federal government.


High-speed rail is a win-win for Florida and a certain success for Orange County; no matter which route is chosen, Orlando would be the starting point.

The job-creation opportunity alone is a major incentive; couple that with the environmental protection provided by an efficient rail system reducing vehicle reliance and detrimental carbon emissions, and it's clear action must be taken. The future scarcities of carbon-based fuels compel us to pursue high-speed rail.

The state of Florida sent a letter of interest to the federal government in January, and the governor has signaled his support. Mayor Richard Crotty sent his letter of endorsement on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners. MetroPlan backs the development of a statewide rail-transit system. The High Speed Rail Authority knows it is imperative for Florida to aggressively pursue this golden opportunity. A renewed resolution will help fill our road and transportation shortfalls with a green alternative that makes public transportation a priority for us in Central Florida.

Linda Stewart of Orlando is an Orange County Commissioner for District 4.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-my-word-rail-florida-031209,0,7212551.story

Florida being the fourth largest state in the nation is asking $2 billion of the $8 billion set aside for HSR. We deserve it, and we're ready!

Please get on board, or watch FL perpetually left behind.

[thelakelander]

The $8 billion most likely won't be spent on true "high speed" rail.  A chunk of it will be spent on improving existing passenger rail corridors to help enhance the service along them.  Since, Amtrak is really the only intercity rail service in the country, this money will flow to them as well.  Imo, we should rally for an Amtrak statewide corridor service and lobby for these HSR funds to improve travel times on existing rail lines in Florida.  

$8 Bil. of Stimulus to Go to Trains, but Not Bullet-Style

It may be the longest train delay in history: More than 40 years after the first bullet trains zipped through Japan, the United States still lacks true high-speed rail. And despite the record $8 billion investment in high-speed rail added at the last minute to the new economic stimulus package, that may not change any time soon.

That money will not be enough to pay for a single bullet train, transportation experts say. And by the time the $8 billion gets divided among the 11 regions across the country that the government has designated as high-speed rail corridors, they say, it is unlikely to do much beyond paying for long-delayed improvements to passenger lines, and making a modest investment in California's plan for a true bullet train.

In the short term, the money - inserted at the 11th hour by the White House - could put people to work improving tracks, crossings and signal systems.

That could help more trains reach speeds of 90 to 110 miles per hour, which is much faster than they currently go. It is much slower, however, than high-speed trains elsewhere, like the 180 mph of the newest Japanese bullet train. (The Acela trains on the East Coast are capable of 150 mph, but average about half that.)

full article: http://www.theledger.com/article/20090228/news/902280346

[FayeforCure]

Hey, if Amtrak can apply for the monies in the HSR pot, I'm all for it. My main concern is that we let other states use the HSR pot, while we are still waiting for our first commuter rail project for FL,.......and I'm not talking about our Jax plans, but the one in Central Florida that runs through someone's backyard who has been an enemy of even keeping Amtrak alive. He finally caved on helping Amtrak funding because private bids for HSR were ok-d, to replace Amtrak's most profitable Acela line ( 25% of Amtrak's revenues come from that corridor).

Please keep in mind this from the NYT article you refer to ( BTW, I applaud the Lakeland Ledger which reprinted the article, for their very comprehensive reporting on rail issues)

Federal transportation officials said that they were still drawing up guidelines for how the money would be spent, and cautioned that it was too early to predict what they would do. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters in Washington this week that he thought high-speed rail would be President Obama's transportation priority. LaHood said the department had recently given the White House a memorandum describing plans for high-speed rail in "at least six corridors" across the country.

But people who were excited by that prospect may be surprised to hear that the federal government defines "high speed" as much slower than other countries do. A diesel train in the United States that can go 90 mph is still considered high-speed under the government's definition.

So some projects financed by the bill may simply get intercity passenger rail back to where it was earlier in the 20th century, rather than closer to the futuristic vision of the trains of Europe and Asia, like the magnetic levitation, or maglev, train that whisks passengers from Shanghai to its airport 19 miles away in seven minutes, attaining a speed of 259 mph.

The Acela is the United States' fastest train. But because the tracks it runs on are curvy, and are shared with many other trains, it is only able to reach its top speed of 150 mph on about 35 miles of track in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Its average speed is 84 mph between New York and Washington. Still, Amtrak has captured 62 percent of the combined air and rail market between New York and Washington, company officials said.

lakelander, have you asked Amtrak to get in line for some of the $8 billion for Florida, just in case? Who do we contact?

We could call the Jacksonville-St Augustine stretch HSR under the definition above (85 mph).

What I don't want to happen is that we don't apply for ANY of the $8 billion in the HSR pot. We CANNOT afford to miss the boat on this funding.

Thank you Jason for pointing out that $0.00 buys Florida NOTHING!!!!

[lindab]

Florida's High Speed Rail Authority has met once again after a four year hiatus and is getting ready to go after the money for the already identified alignment Tampa,Orlando, and Miami.

The alignment work already includes the required environmental reviews and technical design work. Orlando metro transportation is working fast to put together the required transit link to the rail stops in Orange Co.  

If Governor Crist agrees to fund the HSRA for the months necessary to put in the request and meet the necessary requirements of the federal stimulus package, we will see a section of that system in place within a few years.

[thelakelander]

Faye, as you mentioned earlier, the Orlando commuter rail project is a completely separate funding issue.  

For HSR and Amtrak, we should be calling Crist, FDOT, JTA and the Mayor's Office.  Since it appears that the Treasure Coast Planning Council is leading the way, it would not hurt us to contact them and ask what we can do to assist in their efforts.

I don't know who to contact with the TCPC, but this link may have some names of people you may know.
http://www.tcrpc.org/council_meetings/2008/APR08/8%20Amtrack%20Resolution.pdf

Tufsu1 will have to verify, but I think a portion of the FEC line is also labled as a designated high speed rail corridor.

[FayeforCure]

Faye, as you mentioned earlier, the Orlando commuter rail project is a completely separate funding issue.  

For HSR and Amtrak, we should be calling Crist, FDOT, JTA and the Mayor's Office.  Since it appears that the Treasure Coast Planning Council is leading the way, it would not hurt us to contact them and ask what we can do to assist in their efforts.

I don't know who to contact with the TCPC, but this link may have some names of people you may know.
http://www.tcrpc.org/council_meetings/2008/APR08/8%20Amtrack%20Resolution.pdf

Tufsu1 will have to verify, but I think a portion of the FEC line is also labled as a designated high speed rail corridor.

Maybe we can make a sticky for easy access to the visitors of this board, with names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the transportation folks that need to hear from us. Can one of the moderators do that?

The more these transportation folks are bombarded with our requests the less they can keep ignoring us.

Good to hear we may be able to access the HSR funds for the FEC line. I know I'd use the Race track station to travel into Jax, or St Augustine.

[thelakelander]

If we can get a list of the specific transportation representative's contact information, we can sticky for easy access.

I know I'd use the Race track station to travel into Jax, or St Augustine.

If there were an Avenues Station, I know I would use it to access both Downtown Jax and St. Augustine as well.

[cline]

The $8 billion most likely won't be spent on true "high speed" rail.  A chunk of it will be spent on improving existing passenger rail corridors to help enhance the service along them.  Since, Amtrak is really the only intercity rail service in the country, this money will flow to them as well.  Imo, we should rally for an Amtrak statewide corridor service and lobby for these HSR funds to improve travel times on existing rail lines in Florida. 

That was my point.  It just seems like a waste to spend money on a brand new HSR system with bullet trains when we could improve the Amtrak system we currently have.  If this 8 billion would be used to improve passenger rail service then I am all for it. 

[mtraininjax]

There is not enough traffice on 95/4 to Orlando between Jacksonville to justify the millions of dollars of cost to build HSR between Jax and Orlando.

If some of you folks want to lobby Obama and his administration to spend your tax dollars on a Miami, Tampa, Orlando train ride, fine go ahead, leave me out of it. We will not see HSR in NE Florida with the lack of traffic we have now. We  have NO need for HSR at the moment.

As it is, we can't even get JTA trolleys to the suburbs. LOL! HSR between cities, LOL!!!!!!!