High-Speed Intercity Rail Program
Early in 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded $8 billion to 31 states across the country to develop America’s first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service. This investment lays the groundwork and advances 13 new, large-scale high-speed rail corridors across the country. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), these dollars represent an historic investment in the country’s transportation infrastructure, which will help create jobs and transform travel in America. California, Oregon and Washington are all beneficiaries.
California, whose vision for passenger rail in California is among the most ambitious in the nation, is receiving up to $3.1 billion. Funding will go toward the construction of a new, electrically powered high-speed rail system of 800 miles serving major population centers from San Francisco and Sacramento to Los Angeles and San Diego with over 300 trains per day running up to 220 miles per hour.
Washington and Oregon are receiving $782 million to further enhance service on the 467-mile long corridor connecting Eugene, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, Canada, where Washington and Oregon have already made substantial investments. The long-term vision for the corridor is to have a dedicated high-speed track, where trains will operate at up to 150mph, with 13 daily round trips between Seattle and Portland.
In April 2009, the Administration released a long-term plan for high speed rail in America. In addition to the $8 billion awarded in 2010, the plan also included $1 billion a year for five years in the federal budget as a down payment to jump-start the program. Applicants submitted over $55 billion in project proposals for the initial $8 billion in funds awarded.
