WASHINGTON - Nov. 12, 2020 - USHSR's new 5-Point High Speed Rail Plan has specific recommendations for the high speed rail program to be a success including specific high speed rail projects to fund as follows:
1. Create a new High Speed Rail Development Authority within USDOT to direct and coordinate the national program working with the states. This new Authority would be tasked with initiating new high speed rail projects, conducting route studies, filing for permits, assembling land, hiring contractors and consultants, and hiring concessionaires to operate the trains. This includes streamlining the approvals process by allowing simultaneous approvals, shortened timelines, and single agency approvals.
2. Select the nation's top 5 high speed rail priority projects, designate them "Special Projects of National Significance" and fast-track each to completion with the full support of the federal government. (California, Texas, New York City, Cascadia, Florida)
3. Select the second tier projects and immediately fund and assist them into early works - planning, route studies, permits, land acquisition, and pre-construction works. (Chicago-Milwaukee, Atlanta-Charlotte, Louisville-Nashville, Denver-Albuquerque, Chicago-St. Louis, Tulsa-Oklahoma City, Chicago-Detroit, Nashville-Memphis, Kansas City-St. Louis, Chicago-Indianapolis)
4. Coordinate closely on TOD planning with local cities and jurisdictions to maximize community making and economic development opportunities that come with a new high speed rail station.
5. Work with the airlines and airports to replace short-haul flights with high speed rail, and extend high speed rail connections to major airports. Encourage partnerships with airlines on combined tickets for trips with part of the journey on a train and part on an airplane.
"We're excited to release this new plan as the new rail-focused administration comes in," said USHSR President Andy Kunz. "For decades, Joe Biden has proven to be one of rail's great leaders, we're ready to work with him, Congress, governors, and the American people to get many new systems built across this great nation so everyone can ride them."
The US High Speed Rail Association is a membership organization that has been advocating for a national, state-of-the-art high speed rail network since our founding in 2009, showcasing the many benefits high speed rail will bring to America. As the previous transportation secretary Anthony Foxx said, "there is no such thing as a Democratic or Republican road, bridge, port, airfield or rail system. We must work together across party lines to enhance this nation's infrastructure."
For more information on the association and to view the national vision map, visit: www.ushsr.com
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