$66B in the compromise infrastructure bill for Amtrak. '
I can imagine about $50B worth of projects in states with traditions of taking federal $ and supporting state service
($48B are listed below). Where will the other $16B go? (guesses in next post)
$8B North of NEC
$4B for Albany-Buffalo 79 to 110mph service (federal share of $8B?)
$3B for BOS-SPG (federal share of $6B?)
$1B Downeaster to Rockport, signals, double-track
$10B NEC
$6B Hudson River Tunnels (half of 11B plus slush)
$1B Portal Bridge (rounded up from .77B)
$2B Baltimore Frederick Douglass Tunnel (half of $4B)
$2B bridges & SOGR
$10B South of NEC
$3B Misc federal Share from Long Bridge to Norfolk
$4B Petersburg VA to Raleigh NC restored S-Line (110mph)
$3B to upgrade Atlanta - Charlotte
$10B Chicago Hub
$7B scattered across 6 states (CHI-MKE, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa)
$1B to unclog CHI-to-Mich
$1B to complete Wolverine @ 110
$1B to start towards Toronto (payoffs for tunnel use)
$10B Pacific Coast
$5B to for Canada to Oregon
$5B to California
On this subject alone. I have been excited about these bills for a long time and I can’t tell you how disappointed I’am with at least the first one. Not because of the size either - because the lack of investment in our public transit.
When talking about infrastructure in the past people always mentioned Chinas High Speed Rail. They not only have built a dozen HSR in a dozen years they have built entire metro
SYSTEMS as well.
There are some cities that need ENORMOUS amounts of money to adequately expand and update there systems. Or build systems. Or maintain current systems. These are some of the badly needed projects on the top of my head and the price estimates are just that - rough estimates.
Los Angeles
(They have SOME funds from Measure M and Measure R but not quite enough to do these projects CORRECTLY. They’ve botched some big ones recently. And a lot of the funding for some projects from these ballot measures doesn’t come on line for 10-20-30yrs)
- Sepulveda Subway SFV to West Side.
(To do it RIGHT, this time) additional $2-3B
- Sepulv. Subway West Side to SoFi • $8B
- Vermont Ave Red Extension • $10B
- Purple Line Phase 4 Santa Monica • $3B
- East Side to Whittier • $4B additional
- Washington & Flower St Subway • $1.5B
- Orange Line Conversion • $3B
- WSAB Phase 3 • $5B
Boston:
- Red/Blue Connector • $0.8B
- Blue Line to Lynn / Salem • $2B / • $4B
- Seaport Rail • $2B
- Orange Line North • $3B
- Orange Line Extension South • $2.5B
- NSRL • $10B
New York:
- Second Avenue Subway Phase 3 • $4B
- Second Avenue Subway Phase 4 • $10B
- Utica Avenue Subway • $6B
- 7 Extension • $4B
- Jewel Point • $5B
- Northern Line • $5B
- Nostrand Ave Ext • $3B
- Station Overhauls • $1B
Austin
- Blue Line & Orange Line w/Subway • $6B
Atlanta:
- BeltLine LRT • $2B
- Gold Line Ext • $1.5B
- All Station Renovations • $0.6B
- Clifton LRT • $1B
- Short HRT Extensions • $1.5B
Dallas
- D2 Subway • $3B
- D1 Grade Seperate • $3B
Philly
- PATCO West Extension • $2B
- BSL Northwest Extension • $3B
Chicago
- Major Station Modernizations • $1B
Seattle:
Like LA they have a ballot measure to pay for some but not enough
and in some corridors just to the do the bare minimum
- West Seattle Subway • $3B
Bay Area:
- San Jose BART Subway • $4B
- Second Transbay Tube • $20B
That’s roughly $150m worth of rapid transit rail that in most cases is badly needed (and admittedly a small portion of it is aspirational). We hear so much from politicans on both sides about competing with other nations but this bill shows a woeful lack of care for our major cities. These lines improve the quality of life - reduce traffic, make the workforce more efficient and often spur economic development. The fact that public transit gets the number it does out of this bill is...
unforgivable. Especially when you consider a portion of that is likely going to be for something like “
electric buses”. Buses don’t move the needle anywhere close to the same degree that rapid rail lines do. Not to mention the benefit of easing traffic also acts as a dual benefit in that it helps the environment - something you’d think would be factored in.
I can understand a bill mostly crafted by republicans leaving these projects out but I’m surprised with Democrat majorities and a Democratic President that these projects aren’t in this bill. It’s not just smart for the country but it’s smart POLITICALLY as well. Do you know how well it plays back in communities when a project that’s been talked about for years is in the news because “
it’s finally happening!” ... “
construction starts soon!” That’s a TANGIBLE impact on communities and peoples lives that the public will associated with whoever’s in office at the time.
Also... where are these Democratic mayors of these cities? How are they not on the phone with the President, the speaker, the Majority leader and transportation secretary saying “
Put this in the bill! It’ll be a game changer for my city”