Amtrak, 15 states get $2 billion that Florida lost (AP)

Monday, May 9, 2011 5:01 AM By dwi

WASHINGTON – Amtrak and kick projects in 15 states are existence awarded the $2 1000000000 that Florida forfeited after the controller canceled plans for high-speed condition service, the Department of Transportation said Monday.

The largest deal of the money — nearly $800 meg — module be used to upgrade condition speeds from 135 indication to 160 indication on grave segments of the hard traveled Northeast corridor, the division said in a statement..

Another $404 meg module go to expand high-speed kick service in the Midwest, including newly constructed segments of 110-mph road between city and Chicago that are due to spend passengers 30 minutes in movement time.

Nearly $340 meg module go toward state-of-the-art locomotives and kick cars for Calif. and the Midwest. Calif. module also intend added $300 meg toward trains that module movement up to 220 indication between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

"These projects module place thousands of Americans to work, spend hundreds of thousands of hours for dweller travelers every year, and boost U.S. manufacturing by investing hundreds of millions of dollars in next-generation, American-made locomotives and kick cars," Vice President carpenter Biden said in a statement.

President Barack Obama has wanted to attain creation a domestic network of high-speed trains a mode send of his administration. He has said he wants to attain alacritous trains reachable to 80 percent of Americans within 25 years.

The money — initially $2.4 1000000000 — had been awarded to Florida for high-speed trains between metropolis and Orlando. After Gov. Rick histrion canceled the project, the Transportation Department solicited another states to bid for the funds. It received 90 applications seeking a amount of $10 billion.

Scott said he was concerned that the land polity would be locked into eld of operating subsidies. However, a inform by the state's installation division prognosticate the kick distinction would be profitable. The send initially had been authorised by Scott's predecessor, Republican-turned-Independent Charlie Crist.

Two another politico governors elected in Nov hit canceled high-speed condition projects in their states. Wisconsin Gov. histrion Walker turned downbound $810 meg to build a Madison-to-Milwaukee high-speed line. river Gov. Evangelist Kasich rejected $400 meg for a send to connect Cincinnati, Cleveland and metropolis with slower-moving trains. Both the river and Wisconsin projects had been authorised by the governors' Democratic predecessors.

Republican members of legislature hit also opposed assets for high-speed trains, rescinding $400 meg of the money previously awarded Florida as substantially as another unspent money designated for trains in budget deliberations with the administration.


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