Michigan to get more than $200M to boost high-speed rail service

Source: Detroit Free Press

Michigan will get $200 million to upgrade rail lines and a share of another $336 million for new high-performance trains and other equipment to build a high-speed rail network between Detroit and Chicago, the Obama administration announced today.

The federal government is awarding $2 billion to expand high-speed rail nationwide, money that Florida turned back earlier this year, and Michigan was one of 24 states competing for the funding. The U.S. Department of Transportation said 15 states and Amtrak will receive money for 22 high-speed intercity passenger rail projects that the government said will connect 80% of Americans to high-speed rail in 25 years.

“These projects will put thousands of Americans to work, save hundreds of thousands of hours for American travelers every year, and boost U.S. manufacturing by investing hundreds of millions of dollars in next-generation, American-made locomotives and railcars,” Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will appear this afternoon at the Amtrak station in Detroit’s New Center area along with U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Gov. Rick Snyder.




Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110509/NEWS05/110509013/Michigan-get-more-than-200M-boost-high-speed-rail-service?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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I'm so glad we got this, we'll glady take that idiot in Florida's money.

What about the republican governor from Indiana who can get between Detroit and Chicago?

Both Ohio and Wisconsin made a big show of canceling plans. Looks like Snyder is not using the whole playbook. Doing LOTS of other things to destroy the state further, but not that one.

$2 Billion taken out of the state by the governor? WTF

by this move.

The concern was a 'Big Dig' type cost overrun where the state found itself trying to come up with billions of finish the project.

This is from Scott's veto message (so don't shoot the messenger, please):

First – capital cost overruns from the project could put Florida taxpayers on the hook for an additional $3 billion.

Second – ridership and revenue projections are historically overly-optimistic and would likely result in ongoing subsidies that state taxpayers would have to incur. (from $300 million – $575 million over 10 years) – Note: The state subsidizes Tri-Rail $34.6 million a year while passenger revenues covers only $10.4 million of the $64 million annual operating budget.

Finally – if the project becomes too costly for taxpayers and is shut down, the state would have to return the $2.4 billion in federal funds to D.C.

* The truth is that this project would be far too costly to taxpayers and I believe the risk far outweighs the benefits.

* Historical data shows capital cost overruns are pervasive in 9 out of 10 high speed rail projects and that 2/3 of those projects inflated ridership projections by an average of 65 percent of actual patronage.

* It is projected that 3.07 million people will use the train annually. Keep in mind that Amtrak’s Acela train in Washington, D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore only had 3.2 million riders in 2010. And that market’s population is 8 times the size of the Tampa/Orlando market.


The point of ridership and ongoing support costs is a real one. Millions poured into subsidizing a rail line from Tampa to Orlando are millions that can't be spent alleviating poverty, providing police, education, etc.

who will spend it overseas.

If we end up with high-speed rail between Detroit and Chicago, I'll be stunned (pleasantly).

I'm not sure how rebuilding the existing track will result in high-speed passenger trains. The same track is used for the plodding freight trains. Well, I'm sure some railroad geniuses will solve that one.

:hi:

New York. It makes no sense my starting a second thread on what is really the same topic.

Capital Region gets $58M that Fla. rejected for rail projects

Source: Detroit Free Press

Michigan will get $200 million to upgrade rail lines and a share of another $336 million for new high-performance trains and other equipment to build a high-speed rail network between Detroit and Chicago, the Obama administration announced today.

The federal government is awarding $2 billion to expand high-speed rail nationwide, money that Florida turned back earlier this year, and Michigan was one of 24 states competing for the funding. The U.S. Department of Transportation said 15 states and Amtrak will receive money for 22 high-speed intercity passenger rail projects that the government said will connect 80% of Americans to high-speed rail in 25 years.


“These projects will put thousands of Americans to work, save hundreds of thousands of hours for American travelers every year, and boost U.S. manufacturing by investing hundreds of millions of dollars in next-generation, American-made locomotives and railcars,” Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110509/NEWS05/110509013/Michigan-get-more-than-200M-boost-high-speed-rail-service?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

I don't see the point.

thanking him for keeping his state backward and jobless while promoting other states.

I could write those campaign commercials in my sleep.