High Speed Rail: Round the Second

Later this week, the Obama Administration will announce the recipients of a $2.5 billion investment in high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects around the nation. The grants – appropriated as part of the FY 2010 federal budget and awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation – are intended to build upon the $8 billion provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which established the groundwork for true high-speed rail service, while also improving, introducing or reintroducing contemporary intercity passenger rail operations to a number of corridors. RAIL Magazine's full analysis of those projects supported by ARRA is available here.

The largest awards are not surprising, as they'll support the two projects most likely to introduce true high-speed rail in the shortest timeframe: those in California and Florida. Through a more than $900 million investment in California's high-speed rail effort – the nation's largest and most fully realized high-speed rail campaign – will be able to advance work on the project, especially on the segment through the Central Valley between Merced and Bakersfield. Other elements will include the purchase of new rolling stock, an automatic braking and control system, work on the San Jose and San Francisco segment and infrastructure upgrades in Del Mar.

Meanwhile, Florida will receive $800 million, nearly all of which will be devoted to the construction of the nation's first true high-speed route between Orlando and Tampa. The investment will allow the project's aggressive planning and construction schedule to continue, with operations at top speeds of 186 mph targeted for 2014. Upon receipt of the expected award, the project will have secured $2.06 billion of its $2.7 billion pricetag, and is expected to receive the remainder from the $1 billion for high-speed and intercity passenger rail provided in the FY 2011 federal budget. Proponents for high-speed rail, starting with President Obama himself, along with Vice President Biden – have identified the Orlando-Tampa corridor is a test case for the development of additional routes around the nation, including California's planned network. In early 2011, Florida will select some entity – likely one based on significant overseas experience in high-speed rail, such as those in Europe or Asia – to build, operate and maintain the service, along with supplying the high-speed equipment and technologies. The operation is expected to attract more than $2.4 million rider's in its debut year, produce positive revenue and make the 84-mile trip between the two cities – on express runs – in about 50 minutes.

While the investment directed to California and Florida will constitute the bulk of the $2.5 billion available, a number of other important, conventional intercity passenger rail projects also will likely be selected. Continuing on the ARRA-rail investment trend to support the development of new, non-high-speed passenger rail lines – such as those connecting Milwaukee and Madison, Wisc., and Ohio's 3-C corridor between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati – this round of investment will channel $230 million to support a new service between Chicago, Ill., and Iowa City. The new service – which smartly leverages a $10 million TIGER II grant to Moline, Ill., to prepare a new intermodal facility there – is expected to be underway in 2015 with two daily roundtrip trains and generate more than 240,000 annual trips in its first year of operation. The 220-mile route has not hosted scheduled, daily passenger rail service since Amtrak's formation in 1970 and has already received more than $65 million in investment from Illinois, Iowa and local government sources.

Additionally, $150 million will likely be awarded to Michigan, for upgrades to Amtrak's corridor between Dearborn and Kalamazoo, which will increase train speeds and improve reliability. The project will build upon ARRA investment to Indiana to upgrade sections of the same route that leads to the Dearborn-Kalamazoo line. Likewise, probable grants to corridors in Connecticut and Massachusetts ($121 million), Virginia ($45 million) and Oregon ($9 million) will build on initial ARRA support to further advance conventional passenger rail services in those areas. Moreover, a partnership of North and South Carolina, along with Georgia, will conduct a $4.1 million study on an improved route between Charlotte and Atlanta. Other projects could also be selected with this week's official announcement.