Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-Fla.) on Thursday will outline an alternative for a public-private partnership to develop true high-speed rail service in the nation’s Northeast Corridor (NEC).

Mica will chair a Full Committee hearing focusing on the need for private sector competition in bringing high-speed rail to the densely populated NEC, one of the most valuable transportation assets in the United States.  While there is a need and great potential for high-speed rail in this congested corridor, Amtrak’s $117 billion 30-year plan to upgrade NEC service is unacceptable.  Amtrak has not proven itself capable of managing large-scale projects, 30 years is too long, and the cost is much too high.

Thursday’s hearing will provide an opportunity to discuss an alternative for a public-private partnership model that relies on private sector competition to help finance, design, build, operate and maintain NEC high-speed rail services.  Witnesses will include Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey; transportation policy, investment and real estate experts; and representatives of rail labor.  More information about Thursday’s hearing can be found here ^[1].

WHAT:  Hearing of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Chairman: “Opening the Northeast Corridor to Private Competition for the Development of High-Speed Rail”

WHEN:           10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 26, 2011

WHERE:         2167 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

A live webcast of this hearing will be available at: http://transportation.house.gov ^[2]

WITNESSES:

• U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, New Jersey, Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security
• Carlos Bonilla, Adjunct Fellow, Reason Foundation
• Ignacio Jayanti, President, Corsair Capital
• James H. Richardson, Senior Vice President, Real Estate Asset Services, Forest City Enterprises
• Michael Goetz, Executive Director, Railroad Cooperation and Education Trust
• Thomas Hart, Vice President, Governmental Affairs, U.S. High Speed Rail Association
• Edward Wytkind, President, Transportation-Trades Department, AFL-CIO