David Schwegel, PE’s Post

The Biden administration is funneling billions of federal dollars into major rail projects across the country — an effort aimed at reshaping the future of US travel and keeping up with other countries' advancing high-speed trains. In the final two months of 2023, a slate of highly-anticipated federal grants were awarded: $8.2 billion for bullet trains and a pipeline of nationwide projects, and $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail projects along the busy Northeast Corridor. "The way to keep the momentum going is to make sure we have people who have a vision about rail, not just about roads," Ray LaHood, who served as transportation secretary in the Obama administration, said. "Rail is the next generation of transportation." But some projects rely on long-term federal support, which can waver depending on the political party in power. While the Biden administration has allocated record funds to rail, House Republicans have sought to make cuts and block future funds to certain rail projects in appropriations measures. Read more from Lillianna Byington: https://lnkd.in/eFYZqgJq

In a recent House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee subcommittee meeting, members expressed bipartisan support for high-speed rail, but Republicans criticized California's Los Angeles-to-San Francisco project for budget overruns and delays. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) favored high-speed rail but criticized the California project for poor planning. Economics professor Lee Ohanian acknowledged mistakes in the California project but emphasized potential for private-public high-speed rail partnerships. Both parties supported the Brightline. Democrats criticized Republicans for proposed Amtrak funding cuts. Republican Representative Doug LaMalfa questioned the California project's continuation. Overall, there's bipartisan support for high-speed rail, but disagreements persist on specific projects and funding. AGS Associates #Amtrak #rail #heavycivil #LosAngeles #california

A eerily similar story, where you can't help but compare the UK's High Speed 2 with California's High-Speed Rail project... ♊ 📈 The full San Francisco to Los Angeles project was initially estimated to cost around $40 billion but has now jumped to between $88 billion and $128 billion 💲💲💲 🤯 In 2021, the Biden administration restored funding for the California project after then-President Donald Trump pulled funding for the project, due to its myriad of issues including delays and rising costs, calling it a "disaster" 🤯 Many Republicans in Congress want to bar the White House from awarding more funding to the project... 🛑 We have been told that section of HS2 cannot/will not be brought to life, but I'm sure that's what Trump thought when he pulled the funding before Biden got it back up and running again... 🏃♀️ I wonder what it is about these high-speed rail projects that make them go a bit awry regardless of who is leading them? 🤔 #highspeedrail #hs2 #californiarail #railindustry #funding

An informative read by State Senator Greg Dolezal and State Representative Rick Jasperse, the two transportation committee chairs in the Georgia General Assembly! "As the chairmen of the House and Senate transportation committees, we support a strategy during the 2024 session of the General Assembly to dedicate a significant portion of our record surplus revenue toward projects that will bring an incredible return on investment. We applaud Gov. Kemp’s plan to invest an additional $1.5 billion in projects that directly help move commuters and freight and we share the Governor’s laser-focused commitment to meeting our infrastructure needs of today and tomorrow. We want to prioritize projects that improve mobility and quality of life, but also pay dividends financially – major road widenings, bridge replacements, improved railroad crossings and better port access. The Georgia Department of Transportation estimates that for every $1 invested in these types of major supply-chain improvements we get a $9 return." Read the entire article here! https://lnkd.in/gDkYF4bc

The infrastructure for the mountain rail line already exists and is currently used for coal transportation. But as the region moves away from the coal industry, the plan is for the rail line to transition to a mix of commercial freight and passenger rail. 

Another greet read about infrastructure in Georgia! #CGP Construction #concrete #infrastructure #GHCA #roadconstruction

Democrats in Washington’s congressional delegation are taking another step towards high-speed rail and asking the federal government for $198 million to plan the Cascadia high-speed corridor. This initiative aims to deliver 250 mph rail service by midcentury, which would be faster than any trains currently operating in the United States. The proposed route would link Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, and Portland, making it a significant development for the Pacific Northwest. The trains could travel between Seattle and either Vancouver, B.C., or Portland within an hour, or 15 minutes to Seattle from Tacoma or Everett. The project could generate 38,000 construction jobs and 3,000 jobs for maintenance and operations, official reports say. https://lnkd.in/gnxuVHtP

Reason #7: Short Line Eligibility CRISI is the only major infrastructure grant program where short line railroads are eligible applicants. Seven Reasons to Love CRISI Grants via Railway Age https://lnkd.in/emj-Mxby

California High Speed Rail History 🚄 1996: 📌 State legislator creates California High-Speed Rail Authority. 2008: 📌 Voters approve $9.95B bond measure to construct high speed rail from LA to San Fran. 📌 Travel time of under 3 hours, construction cost of around $33B, trains operating by 2030. 2015: 📌 High-speed rail construction begins in Fresno. 2018: 📌 Delays, cost overruns, and poor project management. 2022: 📌 Construction underway along 119 miles of California central valley. 📌 Cost estimate now around $113B. 2023: 📌 Cost estimate upped to $128B. 📌 Timeline for service to commence changed to "between 2030 and 2033". Imperium Global #california #californiaconstruction #heavycivil