LaHood to states: Proceed with rail projects or give up stimulus funds – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs

This could get ugly. LaHood is doing the right thing and the courageous thing, so you have to wonder how long it will be until he is undercut by President Obama. Nonetheless, HSR funding is a very limited amount and it should be devoted only to the development of fast passenger trains. This money should not be “diverted” to highways. Believe me, that is the plan.

LaHood to states: Proceed with rail projects or give up stimulus funds – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs.

Advertisement

Filed under: Passenger Rail Politics, United States High Speed Rail

Illinois wants Wisconsin’s rejected stimulus funds – WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and Radio

Associated Press – November 9, 2010 3:34 PM ET

CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois transportation officials say they’ll take the $810 million in federal high-speed rail funds that Wisconsin Gov.-elect Scott Walker has said he’ll reject.

Walker made opposing a Milwaukee-Madison rail project a key part of his successful campaign against his Democratic opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett who supported it.

Illinois has received $1.2 billion in high-speed rail funding. Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig says the state could make improvements to the Chicago-St. Louis corridor with Wisconsin’s money.

That seems like an excellent idea to me. Whatever you do, don’t send any more HSR money to Florida. I know it pleases the big media company that owns the big attraction at Orlando, and I know from personal experience that highway traffic between Tampa and Orlando is a nightmare. Still, Florida is a southern state that is fundamentally hostile to any form of transportation other than highways.

The Illinois-St. Louis corridor is comparable to Paris-London and will become a real success story if it is ever completed. Illinois actually wants to build the project and they should be rewarded for that desire and a solid history of supporting state funded trains.

Now, a “true confession.” I have a lingering bad feeling about running even fast trains from Madison to Milwaukee. I am not intimately familiar with the logistics, but one must suspect that the route is winding and full of hills. Madison is the state capitol, but it is a small town. Does the potential ridership exist to support this service?

Send that dough to the Land of Lincoln.

Illinois wants Wisconsin’s rejected stimulus funds – WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and Radio.

Filed under: Passenger Rail Politics, Passenger Rail Transportatio Policy, Regional USA Passenger Rail, United States High Speed Rail

Latest high speed rail developments

Filed under: Passenger Rail Transportatio Policy, Regional USA Passenger Rail, United States High Speed Rail

The Abandoned City Hall Subway Stop Now Visible To Tourists (PHOTOS)

Yes, this is off topic. So sue me!

The photo gallery of this abandoned subway station is so astoundingly beautiful that you must treat yourself. When you have a little time for pure pleasure, follow the link below.

The Abandoned City Hall Subway Stop Now Visible To Tourists (PHOTOS).

Filed under: Uncategorized