A letter was recently sent to the U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood from Assemblyman Sam Hoyt and Senator Mark Grisanti pushing him to redirect $2.4 billion in high speed rail funding that was rejected by Florida to New York.
Receiving this money would be very beneficial for the development of New York's high speed rail corridor.
"New York has faced many challenges as of late: an upstate economy and population that are in serious decline as well as immense job loss," Hoyt and Grisanti said in the letter. "This funding presents New Yorkers with an opportunity to help quell the devastating effects the declining economy has had on our upstate cities by offering economic revitalization, job creation in the high-tech, construction, operational and service sectors, as well as reducing our dependence on foreign oil."
Federal rail officials will not reallocate the money that was rejected by Florida. New York initially received $151 million in federal high speed rail funding and partial funds of $7.3 million rejected by Ohio and Wisconsin earlier this year.
The funding would be very beneficial to New Yorkers especially from this area. The program could expand the Western New York labor market and open access to Canadian markets. Furthermore, the effects of the economy could be lightened because the funding would create more jobs in the markets of high tech construction, operational and service sectors and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
Another benefit of high speed rail funding would be the environmentally friendly and energy efficient travel that it would create. The High Speed Rail Corridor would allow free intercity connections through all of New York State.
"New York is no stranger to bold efforts, particularly in times of great financial distress. Decades ago, New York invested in the creation of the Erie Canal, along the same east-west corridor as the proposed high speed rail line," Hoyt and Grisanti said in the letter. "The canal paved the way for New York's well-earned reputation as the center of our nation's commerce. A high speed rail program can provide a much needed direct stimulus to the economic life that our upstate communities deserve."
A 20-year plan was concocted by the New York State Department of Transportation which is the basis of creating a high speed rail from Western New York to Albany. High speed rail authorities can be crucial in creating the vision in that plan.
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Receiving this money would be very beneficial for the development of New York's high speed rail corridor.
"New York has faced many challenges as of late: an upstate economy and population that are in serious decline as well as immense job loss," Hoyt and Grisanti said in the letter. "This funding presents New Yorkers with an opportunity to help quell the devastating effects the declining economy has had on our upstate cities by offering economic revitalization, job creation in the high-tech, construction, operational and service sectors, as well as reducing our dependence on foreign oil."
Federal rail officials will not reallocate the money that was rejected by Florida. New York initially received $151 million in federal high speed rail funding and partial funds of $7.3 million rejected by Ohio and Wisconsin earlier this year.
The funding would be very beneficial to New Yorkers especially from this area. The program could expand the Western New York labor market and open access to Canadian markets. Furthermore, the effects of the economy could be lightened because the funding would create more jobs in the markets of high tech construction, operational and service sectors and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
Another benefit of high speed rail funding would be the environmentally friendly and energy efficient travel that it would create. The High Speed Rail Corridor would allow free intercity connections through all of New York State.
"New York is no stranger to bold efforts, particularly in times of great financial distress. Decades ago, New York invested in the creation of the Erie Canal, along the same east-west corridor as the proposed high speed rail line," Hoyt and Grisanti said in the letter. "The canal paved the way for New York's well-earned reputation as the center of our nation's commerce. A high speed rail program can provide a much needed direct stimulus to the economic life that our upstate communities deserve."
A 20-year plan was concocted by the New York State Department of Transportation which is the basis of creating a high speed rail from Western New York to Albany. High speed rail authorities can be crucial in creating the vision in that plan.
Does stuff like this ever work? seems more political rhetoric than something that could actually happen.
At the moment it seems to have much more momentum than it's had at any point in recent memory. And it did actually work in the Northeast Corridor, and that required collusion between 7 states!