The proponents of high-speed rail across the country are getting their projects lined up for federal funding made available through the Stimulus Bill. While projects and plans are being formed across the country these two in Texas and North Carolina/Virginia provide a taste of what’s to come.
One wouldn’t think that warnings of too much money to spend would be heard during a House Subcommittee on Aviation hearing in Washington, DC; but they were. The passing of the stimulus bill means there is a lot of money, but the U.S. and the stated don’t have the mechanisms in place, nor the controls, to efficiently spend that much.
A cursory review of the amended American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that is expected to be approved by the Senate early next week suggests that travelers may directly benefit from some of its provisions.