High-speed rail workshop for Florida business owners

February 14, 2001 Governor Charlie Crist is applauding Florida's application to the Federal Railroad Administration seeking $1.1 billion in funding that will allow Florida to deliver high-speed rail express service in the Tampa-Orlando corridor with operating speeds of 168 mph by 2015, local media report.

In a letter to federal
officials, the governor noted the state is ready to assist the FRA in
aggressively implementing high-speed rail. All major environmental clearances
and a Record of Decision have been received.

"Florida is uniquely
positioned to bring to life the ‘Vision of High Speed Rail in America’ by
starting HSR Express service in 2015 in the heart of America’s most popular
family tourist destination and showcasing this technology and its benefits to tens
of millions of Americans each year," said Governor Crist in his letter to
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo.

Congresswoman Kathy
Castor (D) FL 11th District says, over the next month, a workshop will be held for
small business owners so they can learn more about the jobs and contracts
high-speed rail will provide. Congresswoman Castor says, "Because there’s
a requirement that a number of these be local jobs, so high-speed rail has to
provide jobs not just for some contractors out of state but for folks who live
and work in Tampa Bay."

There is no word on when
the workshop will be held or where, but details are expected to be released
soon.

The remaining $1.1
billion is all that is needed for the Tampa-Orlando service to make this $2.6
billion project a reality. The Florida Department of Transportation’s Florida
Rail Enterprise has about two-thirds of the capital funding for the project, including
substantial right of way in hand, federal stimulus dollars and state funds
needed to meet the 80/20 match for the application. In January, Florida received
a $1.25-billion high-speed rail grant from the federal government for the
project.

The Rail Enterprise is
also seeking $250 million in federal funding to extend Amtrak passenger rail service
to Florida’s east coast by introducing two daily round-trips on the
Jacksonville-Miami corridor via the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) and South
Florida Rail Corridor.

The funding would pay for
eight passenger stations on the FEC corridor, construction of a between the FEC
and South Florida Rail Corridor lines at West Palm Beach, other capacity improvements
to facilitate 90 mph service and the purchase of locomotives and associated passenger
cars. The project has received tremendous support from congressional and
legislative leaders, local governments, private organizations and the public.