As Florida spurns HSR, others line up for funds
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefClaiming political principle, not political grandstanding, as the foundation for Florida’s rejection of $2.38 billion in federal funds for high speed rail, Gov. Rick Scott has also set off a scramble for part or all of that funding from other states not so antagonistic to passenger rail transit.
The governor on Friday reaffirmed his rejection of HSR for the Sunshine State, following a decision by the state supreme court unanimously upholding the governor’s authority to do so.
The Department of Transportation said it would not extend the state’s deadline again, and “now plans to evaluate our options for making this $2.4 billion available to states eager to develop high speed rail corridors, where the business case is strong, in regions across the United States.”
Those regions have signaled their readiness for such gifts. California, now the sole frontrunner for a possible U.S. high speed rail route, has made no secret of its desire for additional funding. Given that the state has pledged $9.1 billion of its own money toward the estimated $44 billion, 700-mile project, the Golden State’s political position can’t be dismissed. California secured the lion’s share of $1.2 billion in federal HSR funds rejected earlier by Wisconsin and Ohio, landing $624 million, or about 52%.
But other states also have publicly voiced willingness for additional funding, including Illinois, already working on higher-speed rail (HrSR) upgrading of Amtrak’s Chicago-St. Louis route in conjunction with Amtrak and Union Pacific. New York State, recipient of only modest federal HSR funding to date, has said it can apply funds to its Empire Corridor.
Connecticut’s new governor, Dannel P. Malloy (D), has been vocal in advocating transportation upgrades for his state, using both state and federal money, despite the need for the Nutmeg State to rein in overall spending, and Malloy has specifically cited benefits of potential “high speed rail” (in reality, HrSR) between New Haven and Springfield, Mass. (Amtrak’s Inland route).
