Filed under: Transportation Alternatives, Legislation and Policy, USA
Last week newly-elected Florida Governor Rick Scott turned down $2.4 billion in Federal money for a high speed rail project despite knowledge of a newly revealed Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) study that forecast the venture would net a $10 million surplus in its very first year of operation. He did so saying that the Sunshine State couldn't afford to build the HSR project despite assurances from a coalition of municipalities and other officials, including Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, that the risk to the state had been eliminated.
Now, instead of getting the foundation of a future greener transportation infrastructure and the initial 24,000 jobs it was estimated to create, Floridians will have to pay back $110 million already drawn from the Feds for the project and look forward to decades of increasing congestion and resulting air pollution. Take a bow Mr. Scott, nicely done. Click past the break to peruse the FDOT study summary.
[Source: NPR / Miami Herald]
Continue reading New study shows killed Florida High Speed Rail would have been money maker
New study shows killed Florida High Speed Rail would have been money maker originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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