January - 2018

FRA slates hearings on environmental report for Texas bullet train

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Jan. 29 will begin a series of 10 public hearings on its draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed bullet train project in Texas. The first public hearing will be held in Dallas County. Others will be held in locations along the proposed route, which would extend from North Texas to Houston. The FRA is accepting comments on the DEIS until Feb. 20. The report analyzed six end-to-end build alternatives as well

Pedestrian deaths and environmental concerns threaten Florida's high-speed train project

It launched to a fanfare two weeks ago: the first privately funded US express passenger railway in decades, a new start for long delayed plans, and a “green” alternative to Florida’s increasingly congested highways. Yet for executives of Brightline, an ambitious $3bn venture that will eventually ferry travellers from the theme parks of Orlando to the beaches of Miami in just three hours, the champagne moment soon lost its fizz. Even before passengers left the station at Fort

Mayors Skeptical of Trump Infrastructure Plan

When big-city mayors met in Washington last week, one of their primary messages regarding infrastructure was that the federal government should send new money directly to cities, rather than through states. The Trump administration seems open to the idea. “The folks in this room turn dirt faster than anybody in America,” New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said at a meeting on infrastructure at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ meeting last week. “We think that cities are the place

GOP lawmakers derail high-speed train plans to Chicago

A pair of Republican state lawmakers have effectively derailed — at least for now — plans for so-called “high-speed” passenger train service between the Twin Cities and Chicago. All they needed to do was object. “It’s in effect like a one-person veto,” said Sen. Scott Newman, one of the two lawmakers who put the brakes on a vision that has been in the works since the 1990s and has, over the years, received bipartisan support. The Minnesota Department of Transportation suspend

Florida senator says Brightline high-speed rail is not taxpayers' responsibility

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Brightline tracks and signals have been tested, three new passenger terminals have been built with a fourth one near completion, trains are polished and ready to go and Floridians are eager to finally experience the future of travel by high-speed rail. Despite Gov. Rick Scott turning down $2 billion in funding in 2011 from the Obama administration to create a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando, super fast train service is about to make its de

Texas bullet train proposal pits rural landowners against urbanites

About 100 miles north of Houston, the landscape is dotted with sprawling farms and remote ranches. But critics say parts of the region could change if the Federal Railroad Administration approves a $12 billion infrastructure project. Texas Central, a privately run railroad company, is hoping to build a high-speed bullet train similar to the bullet train system already in operation between Tokyo and Osaka in Japan. The train would connect Dallas and Houston in less than 90 min

DEIS to be discussed at public meetings

With the release of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Texas Central Partner’s high speed rail project, residents and agencies are pouring over the extensive document before scheduled public meetings are held during the 60-day comment period. “The process is specifically designed for public involvement,” said Texas Central on their website description of the DEIS. “The 60-day public comment period that began with the Dec. 22 notice i

Good enough for government work?

I am guessing that most every blog reader has heard the somewhat-contemptuous phrase, "good enough for government work," used to discuss production that is mediocre at best and slipshod at worst. What few know, however, is the origin of this phrase, as discussed by Doris Kearns Goodwin in No Ordinary Time, her 1995 book about the home front during World War II. It turns out that the original meaning of this phrase was the exact opposite of the meaning it has since been given.

How the Tax Bill Will Change Governments’ Borrowing Costs

For the first time in more than 30 years, Congress has passed a major overhaul of the tax code. The Senate and House have approved the GOP compromise bill, and President Trump is expected to sign it before the end of the year. The final bill is better than initially expected for state and local governments, but key provisions are still likely to force big changes to their cost of borrowing. The cause of these changes is indirect: The bill's big break for corporations on their