LaHood: Fla. HSR money will be used

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has affirmed plans to redirect $2.4 billion in federal high speed rail funding to other locations, saying, “There is a line outside of my door of governors, senators and congressmen.”

Addressing the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Transportation and Housing and Urban Development subcommittee Thursday, LaHood (pictured at left) said the money will be used somewhere else. “There is no shortage of interest in the $2.4 billion we’re going to reallocate from Florida,” he said.

The interest includes congressional leaders from both New Jersey and Connecticut, advocating additional funds for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, currently the best (if limited) U.S. example of high speed rail. California and Illinois have also volunteered to receive the funds to augment existing implementation plans for HSR (California) and higher-speed rail (Illinois). New York State says it could apply any additional funding to its Empire Corridor, currently offering top speeds of 110 mph.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has rejected federal funding for any HSR development in the Sunshine State, a decision that was upheld unanimously March 4 by the state supreme court.