Tag: high-speed rail

Roadbuilding

Former transportation secretary calls for infrastructure fix, higher gas tax

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is calling on Republicans and Democrats and all levels of government to work together to fix America’s infrastructure problems. Writing an opinion article at Newsweek.com, LaHood, who served from 2009 to 2013, says Congress missed an opportunity with its tax-reform legislation to inject “much needed revenue into the Highway […]

January 11, 2018

Roadbuilding

Major milestone cleared for Texas Bullet Train; Feds also approve Fla. rail plan

It’s full steam ahead for the Texas Bullet Train project – one of the largest civil projects in U.S. history – as well as another rail project in south Florida. On December 15, the Federal Railroad Administration released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the high-speed bullet train planned for Texas. Federal regulators not only outlined […]

December 18, 2017

Roadbuilding

Construction underway on first stretch of California’s high-speed rail network

Five months after ground was broken in Fresno, construction on California’s first high-speed rail line began earlier this week. According to a report from the Fresno Bee, crews began work Tuesday in Madera on the first of 16 concrete footings that will form the foundation of a 1,600-foot viaduct over the Fresno River. Expected to be completed […]

June 19, 2015

Business

At groundbreaking, California trades union head calls high-speed rail construction “greatest infrastructure project” in U.S. history

Despite years of controversy and wondering where the money to fund its construction would come from, ground was officially broken Tuesday on California’s first high-speed rail line in Fresno. Expected to be completed by 2029, trains on the $68 billion railroad will travel at speeds up to 200 miles per hour, spanning 520 miles from San Francisco […]

January 7, 2015

Roadbuilding

California high-speed rail moves forward

Work on the first portion of California’s high-speed rail can move forward after earning approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Associated Press reports. The DOT’s decision allows the state to start acquiring land between Fresno and Bakersfield for the 114-mile route. The federal Surface Transportation Board will need to approve the $68 […]

June 30, 2014

Roadbuilding

California’s high-speed rail likely to get $250 million from state budget

California’s high-speed rail project could get $250 million if the proposed state budget becomes law. The California State Assembly on Sunday approved a $156.4 billion budget plan for fiscal year 2015, which starts July 1, Reuters reports. The plan allocates $250 million for the state’s controversial high-speed rail project. The funding comes from a cap-and-trade […]

June 16, 2014

Roadbuilding

Texas has edge over California for high-speed rail

For the last few years, I’ve been critical of California’s attempts to link Los Angeles to San Francisco with a high-speed rail line. Related: California’s high-speed rail could fail to meet required trip time It’s not that I’m reflexively against passenger rail. It’s just that California is such a political zoo, I don’t think they […]

April 7, 2014

Business

Can Texas make high-speed rail work? California can’t

For the last few years, I’ve been critical of California’s attempts to link Los Angeles to San Francisco with a high-speed rail line. It’s not that I’m reflexively against passenger rail. It’s just that California is such a political zoo, I don’t think they can do anything well when it comes to the bread-and-butter responsibilities […]

April 1, 2014

Roadbuilding

California’s high-speed rail could fail to meet required trip time

California’s high-speed rail is supposed to transport travelers at high speeds, allowing them to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just two hours and 40 minutes. However, the bullet train may not be able to get travelers to their destinations in the anticipated amount of time. Louis Thompson, chairman of the High-Speed Rail […]

March 31, 2014

Roadbuilding

California Assembly Transportation Committee rejects bill to prohibit spending federal money on high-speed rail without matching funds

California’s Assembly Transportation Committee has rejected a bill that would prohibit spending federal grant money on a high-speed train project before the High-Speed Rail Authority approves matching funds, The Fresno Bee reports. Assembly Member Jim Patterson authored the bill, which he proposed after the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) began allowing the state to “front-load the […]

March 25, 2014

Roadbuilding

Foxx at USHSR summit: 2014 is ‘busiest year’ in 5 years for high speed rail

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Tuesday at the US High Speed Rail Association’s (USHSR) summit in Washington, D.C. that 2014 is the “busiest year” for the construction of high speed rail in the past five years, The Hill reports. The Obama administration began implementing a high speed rail program in 2009. The program pushes for […]

February 26, 2014

Roadbuilding

Transportation Secretary Foxx to discuss high speed rail at USHSR summit

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is slated as to headline the 3-day High Speed Rail Summit in Washington, D.C. starting Tuesday. Foxx — along with 12 members of Congressmen, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Deputy Administrator Karen Hedlund and others — will talk about high speed rail in America during the summit, which is presented by the […]

February 24, 2014