Recent Streetsblog LA posts about High Speed Rail

Dem and GOP Senators Seek More Long-Term Rail Vision From Obama Aides

By Elana Schor | Apr 30, 2010 | No Comments

The senior Democratic and Republican senators in charge of setting annual transportation spending levels today urged the leader of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to develop a more comprehensive plan for using the White House’s high-speed rail program to spur the development of viable U.S. train networks. FRA chief Joseph Szabo (l.) and Amtrak CEO […]

High Speed Rail Project Has Mojo, But Expect a Bumpy Trip

By Dana Gabbard | Apr 27, 2010 | 5 Comments

Image: Metro.net In perhaps the strongest sign yet of just how politically potent the statewide high speed rail project has become, a bid by a Republican Assemblywoman to squelch the project has fallen flat (Assembly Bill 2121) and as a face-saving move the bill has been amended to merely mandate the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) submit funding […]

Planner Calls For ‘Fight’ Against High-Speed Rail Sharing Track With Freight

By Elana Schor | Apr 12, 2010 | No Comments

As federal and local officials plot out the future of U.S. high-speed rail, a prominent speaker at this week’s American Planning Association conference is urging fellow urban planners to "fight" the prospect of high-speed rail sharing roadbed with freight lines — a significant dilemma for Amtrak, which must split an estimated 70 percent of its […]

Bullet Train Audit Pending

By Dana Gabbard | Apr 7, 2010 | No Comments

I was getting caught up with my transit reading and stumbled across an interesting item on the agenda of the April 8th Board meeting of the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA). Item #9 states "Staff will discuss the timing of an upcoming audit report being produced by the Bureau of State Audits, and recommend […]

Coming Soon to Popular Transport Stimulus Programs: Local Funding

By Elana Schor | Apr 7, 2010 | No Comments

Two of the most popular transportation programs in the Obama administration’s stimulus law, the $1.5 billion in competitive grants known as TIGER and the $8 billion high-speed rail initiative, had an added feature that made them even more attractive to cities and states: the federal funding awards would not require a local match. Amtrak’s Empire […]

LaHood Faces Off With GOP Senator Over High-Speed Rail, Livability

By Elana Schor | Mar 5, 2010 | 2 Comments

When Cabinet secretaries appear in front of Congress’ appropriations committees, which control the annual budgets for each federal agency, the proceedings tend to be dry affairs dominated by local concerns and arcane fiscal debates. Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) (Photo: Politico) But Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s visit with Senate appropriators today was anything but humdrum, as […]

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