Lawmakers back high-speed rail but remain wary of price tag
June 24, 2009
Lawmakers on Tuesday cautiously supported an ambitious high-speed rail project but remained wary of its obstacles, most notably the multibillion-dollar price tag.
Written by Marjorie Korn, Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers on Tuesday cautiously supported an ambitious high-speed rail project but remained wary of its obstacles, most notably the multibillion-dollar price tag. After a Senate transportation subcommittee hearing, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Texas would benefit from high-speed rail service. "It had not been a priority in the state up until now, but it is very important for us to add this in overall transportation planning for Texas that includes airports, trains, highways and buses that would all use the same terminals," said Hutchison, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. No one who testified at the hearing disputed the benefits of high-speed rail: It reduces traffic, creates jobs and pollutes less than cars and airplanes. But projects will take decades to complete, and the $13 billion the Obama administration has dedicated won't go very far. Robert Eckels, chairman of the Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corp., said Texas needs federal funding to conduct environmental and market studies before it can woo private investment for a 440-mile Texas high-speed corridor. "To attract these investors, we must show that the routes are viable and that demand can cover costs," Eckels testified. The criteria for evaluating federal grant applications are still being developed, but state support for projects – including funding commitments – is encouraged, said Joseph Szabo of the Federal Railroad Administration.
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