States Collect High-Speed Rail Funds Spurned by New Governors
The U.S. Dept. of Transportation is redistributing to 14 states $1.2 billion in high-speed-rail funds originally awarded to Wisconsin and Ohio, whose governors-elect have pledged to kill rail projects launched by their predecessors.
U.S. DOT said on Dec. 9 that California would get up to $624 million, the largest share of the reallocated rail funds. DOT had previously awarded $3.2 billion to the Golden State for its ambitious rail plan.
Florida will get as much as $342.3 million under the redistribution. The state's incoming governor Rick Scott, has said he's opposed to proceeding with a proposed Orlando-Tampa rail line if Florida is required to contribute any of its own funds.
Florida has received $2 billion in federal rail funds so far, but officials have estimated the state is $350 million short of what they need Orlando-Tampa project. The new funds from U.S. DOT would about close that gap.
A U.S. DOT spokesperson says that the Federal Railroad Administration and Florida "are actively working to make progress on the state�s high-speed rail plan."
LaHood said, "I am pleased that so many other states are enthusiastic about the additional support they are receiving to help bring America�s high-speed rail network to life."
The U.S. DOT spokesperson says that the $1.2 billion was "redistributed to states in proportion to the amount of their initial high-speed rail awards."
Wisconsin Governors elect Scott Walker [R] has said he will cancel a planned 80-mile line from Madison to Milwaukee. U.S. DOT has awarded Wisconsin $810 million for that project so far.
Wisconsin, however, will receive up to $2 million from DOT for upgrades on the existing Milwaukee-Chicago "Hiawatha" train service.
In Ohio, incoming Gov. John Kasich [R] has pledged to halt plans for a Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati rail network. Ohio had been awarded won $400 million from U.S. DOT for that plan.
U.S. DOT has awarded $10.5 billion in high speed rail funds, including $8 billion from the 2009 stimulus act and $2.5 billion from regular appropriations.
Besides California and Florida, the other state allotments are:
Washington State: up to $161.5 million Illinois: up to $42.3 million New York: up to $7.3 million Maine: up to $3.3 million Massachusetts: up to $2.8 million Vermont: up to $2.7 million Missouri up to $2.2 million Wisconsin: up to $2 million for the Hiawatha line Oregon: up to $1.6 million North Carolina: up to $1.5 million Iowa: up to $309,080 Indiana: up to $364,980
