Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of Transportation has taken the next step in bringing true high-speed passenger rail to the United States today, for the first time requesting private sector participation in the design, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of high-speed service between New York and Washington, DC and 10 other corridors around the country.
U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader, joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, and Congressman, Passenger Rail Caucus Co-Chairman and former Delaware Governor Mike Castle at New York’s Penn Station for the announcement. Mica authored language in the recent rail law that includes his initiative to open the development of high-speed service to private sector participation for the first time in the U.S.
“This is the most exciting development in U.S. passenger rail in years,” Mica said. “High-speed rail is an efficient, effective and environmentally friendly method of transportation, and a much-needed alternative to our congested highways and airspace.
“High-speed rail is a proven success in nations across Europe and Asia. Even countries such as Iran and Vietnam are developing high-speed rail systems for their people, yet the United States lacks a single true high-speed rail route. It’s time to move forward into the 21st century of transportation and revolutionize the way in which we move people in this nation,” Mica said.
“Americans need new ways of travelling between major cities, and a properly structured intercity passenger rail system can and must play a larger role in our nation’s transportation future,” said Secretary Peters.
“If the U.S. is to remain economically competitive with our economic competitors, we must develop high-speed transportation service for our great cities, just as they have for theirs,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The high-speed train serving the Northeast Corridor that the federal government is seeking proposals for today is the kind of far-sighted project that we need, and completely consistent with New York City’s own transportation goals. It would relieve our congested roadways and airports – problems that Secretary Peters and I have long worked on together – and greatly increase our economic productivity. It would reduce our production of deadly pollutants and the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming – the primary focus of our city’s PlaNYC sustainability agenda, and it would be a major shot in the arm for development of the next generation of transportation technology.”
“This year, Amtrak carried nearly 11 million passengers on its Northeast Corridor system,” said Rep. Castle. “The way I see it, this is 11 million travelers who are off our roadways and not clogging intersections, backing up tolls, and polluting the air in Delaware. For this reason, I have worked hard to set forth the policies and funding necessary to make a real investment in high-speed rail along the Northeast Corridor. This is exactly the type of forward-looking proposal that we should be talking about to improve our infrastructure, spur job creation, and generate long-term economic growth for our country.”
“In the United States, our fastest rail systems pale in comparison to the high speed rail systems in use in Europe and Asia,” said Rep. Maloney. “It’s time for us to start catching up with the rest of the world by offering Americans a fast, convenient, and environmentally-friendly alternative to energy-wasting cars and airplanes.”
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 was signed into law on October 16, 2008, and provides a framework for DOT to move the high-speed initiative forward. Mica went on to outline that process:
“DOT’s action today invites anyone from the public or private sector to submit a proposal to develop high-speed service in 11 federally-designated corridors, including two-hour door-to-door service in the heavily congested Northeast Corridor between Washington, DC and New York City,” Mica continued. “The Northeast Corridor is one of the most valuable yet underutilized assets in the nation. It’s time we stop sitting on our assets.”
The 11 federally-designated high-speed corridors are:
- The Northeast Corridor,
- The California Corridor,
- The Empire Corridor,
- The Pacific Northwest Corridor,
- The South Central Corridor,
- The Gulf Coast Corridor,
- The Chicago Hub Network,
- The Florida Corridor,
- The Keystone Corridor,
- The Northern New England Corridor, and
- The Southeast Corridor.
“Proposals must be submitted to DOT by September 2009, and DOT must then establish commissions of stakeholders – including governors, mayors, labor, Amtrak, and freight and commuter railroads – to evaluate the proposals for each corridor,” Mica added. “By April 2010, DOT must evaluate the Commissions’ recommendations and submit its own recommendations to Congress, beginning with proposals for the Washington, DC-to-New York corridor. Finally, Congress must take the necessary action to commence work on any selected proposals.
“I would like to thank Secretary Peters, Mayor Bloomberg, Congressman Mike Castle of Delaware, Congresswoman Maloney and others who have supported this initiative. We have a tremendous opportunity to harness the resources and expertise of the private sector to address our critical infrastructure needs and usher in a new era of transportation for this nation,” Mica concluded.
Following the noon press conference, Mica plans to board the train to Washington, DC, where he will join Washington, DC government, Amtrak and federal officials for an additional event to highlight the historic initiative.
# # #