1、rail Achieving the Vision2009 TRANSPORTATIONAre We There Yet? rail passenger passenger I n t e r c i t yAcknowledgements AASHTO would like to thank the Standing Committee on Rail Transportation, AASHTO staff, and consultants David Ewing and Steve Hewitt for their contribution to the development of t
2、his report. 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.Foreword AASHTOs policy recommendations for the authorization of the next surface transportation program states that it is “time for the Unite
3、d States to provide a robust intercity passenger rail network that provides competitive, reliable, and frequent passenger service, comparable to world class systems in other countries.” To get there AASHTO calls the development of “A National Rail Policy,” to cover both passenger and freight rail. A
4、ASHTO supports the creation of an Intercity Passenger Rail Account, funded at $35 billion over six years from a diversified portfolio of new revenue, to provide dedicated, guaranteed funding (with budgetary treatment identical to the highway account, including firewalls, guaranteed spending, and con
5、tract authority) to states to meet their needs for capital improvements. This is a strong recommendation based on a decade of workresearch, policy development, and advocacyresponding to the increasing number of states that are or are planning to provide intercity passenger rail service. This report
6、was prepared at the request of AASHTOs Standing Committee on Rail Transportation, currently chaired by Gene Conti, the Secretary of Transportation for the State of North Carolina. It provides for AASHTOs members and others committed to developing a national intercity passenger rail system a summary
7、of the recent favorable actions by Congress and the Obama Administration, a description of the work of the states over the past decade, the views of the essential partners to the states and other commentators, and some guidelines for advancing the effort. Secretary Conti and Frank Busalacchi, Secret
8、ary of Transportation for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Chair of AASHTOs Intercity Passenger Rail Leadership Group, will be leading AASHTOs members forward on the effort to make real the vision for passenger rail. John Horsley Executive Director, AASHTO Intercity Passenger Rail Tran
9、sportation i 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.I t is time for the United States to provide a robust intercity passenger network that provides com- petitive, reliable, and frequent passeng
10、er service, comparable to world-class systems in other countries. AASHTO commends Congress for passing legislation reauthorizing AMTRAK and providing much needed authorization for state DOTs to invest in intercity pas- senger rail infrastructure projects. The next two essential steps are passing a n
11、ational rail policy and funding an intercity rail capital improve- ment program. National Rail Policy AASHTO urges Congress to enact a National Rail Policy which outlines the importance to the country of there being a national rail network capable of moving passen- gers and freight effectively and e
12、fficiently. This policy should address the importance of a rail system that can help alleviate highway and airport system congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide travel options for the public. A National Rail Policy should address a national inter- city passenger rail system which i
13、ncludes: High-Speed Rail Corridors (110 mph and above)Corridors under 500 miles where travel demand, population density, and congestion on competing modes warrant high-speed rail service. Regional Corridors (79110 mph)Corridors under 500 miles, with frequent, reliable service competing successfully
14、with auto and air travel. Long-Distance ServiceCorridors greater than 500 miles in order to provide basic connectivity and a balanced national transportation system. Capital Funding Congress should create an Intercity Passenger Rail Account, funded from a diversified portfolio of new rev- enue, to p
15、rovide dedicated, guaranteed funding (with budgetary treatment identical to the highway account, including firewalls, guaranteed spending, and contract authority) to states to meet their needs for capital im- provements. Over the next six years investment should total $50 billion. Congress should: A
16、uthorize at least $5 billion annually for a state capital grant program for equipment and infra- structure projects. Provide $13 billion from General Fund Revenues to Amtrak for capital infrastructure improve- ments to bring the Northeast Corridor up to a state of good repair. Authorize a High-Speed
17、 Rail Grade Crossing Elimination Program at $55 million per year ($5 million per federally designated corridor). In addition, other key steps include the following: Congress should provide a framework for nego- tiating passenger rail access on private freight railroads. Performance measures should b
18、e linked to policy objects at the national level and separate from awarding of grants for intercity passenger rail. Congress should continue and expand the Section 130 Grade Crossing Program and allow for half the cost of upgrading a crossing to be used as an incentive to close the crossing. AASHTO
19、supports federal tax credits for freight rail in- frastructure improvements with a clearly defined public benefit such as intercity passenger rail. 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.Interc
20、ity Passenger Rail Transportation iii Executive Summary Over the past 10 years, the states have spearheaded the effort to develop and fund a national intercity passenger rail system. States around the country have planned, financed, and delivered successful intercity passenger rail service. Collecti
21、vely, through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the States for Passenger Rail Coalition, the states have urged the federal government to support the creation of an integrated, fully funded, intercity passenger rail system and to incorporate passenger
22、 rail as an essential element of the nations surface transportation system. A series of actions in the past two years, advocated and supported by the states, signal new and solid consensus within the federal government. Both Congress and the Executive Branch have expressed support of an intercity pa
23、ssenger rail system to meet the mobility needs of the 21 stCentury. Congress has provided funding sufficient for the continued responsible operation of Amtrak and after a decade-long hiatus passed an Amtrak authorization. For FY08, the Congress appropriated $30 million for the first intercity passen
24、ger rail state capital grant program; FRA received 25 applications from 22 states and made 15 awards. The FY09 appropriations increased the funds available to $90 million (and included $25 mil- lion in rail line relocation funding). Culminating a several-year effort, the Passenger Rail Investment an
25、d Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) was enacted authorizing $1.9 billion over five years for grants to states for intercity passenger rail. On February 17, 2009, $8 billion was authorized for intercity passenger rail as part of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. President Obamas April 2009 “V
26、ision for High-Speed Rail in America” offers a bold vision for the future and, importantly, realistic steps to getting there. President Obamas 2010 Budget included $1 billion for high-speed rail. This report: Documents the successful efforts of the states to initiate intercity passenger rail service
27、. Describes the federal government role in developing a world-class national intercity passen- ger rail system. Summarizes the analysis and advocacy by AASHTO on behalf of intercity passenger rail over the last decade. Offers guidelines for translating the vision for intercity passenger rail into a
28、feasible future. Giving the nation the intercity passenger rail service it needs will require a strong and continuous collaboration between the federal government, the states, the freight railroads, Amtrak, and all of the interested parties who support this objective. 2009 by the American Associatio
29、n of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.“AASHTO believes that intercity passenger rail service is a basic element of the nations multimodal transportation system, relieving highway and airport congestion in a safe, environmen
30、tally responsible wayAASHTO urges Congress to: Enact legislation ensuring that the nations travelers will have efficient and dependable intercity passenger rail service.” Transportation 2002: The Action Agenda, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials “Congress should provi
31、de dedicated federal funding ($35 billion over six years) for the development of a fast and reliable national intercity rail passenger network that provides competitive, reliable, and frequent passenger service, comparable to world- class systems in other countries. The national intercity passenger
32、rail network shall be comprised of: High-speed rail corridors (110 mph and above), for corridors under 500 miles where travel demand, population density, and congestion on competing modes warrant high speed rail service; Regional corridors (79110 mph), for corridors under 500 miles where frequent, r
33、eliable service competes successfully with auto and air travel; and Long distance service, for corridors greater than 500 miles, in order to provide basic connectivity and a balanced national transportation system.” AASHTO policy recommendations for authorization, approved by AASHTO Board of Directo
34、rs, October 2008 “My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America. We must start developing clean, energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for centuries to come.High speed rail is long overdue, and this plan lets American travelers k
35、now that they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed cars on the highways.” President Barack Obama, at release of Vision for High Speed Rail: High-Speed Rail Strategic Plan, April 2009 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. All rig
36、hts reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation 1 Intercity Passenger Rail: A Vision for a Feasible Future For many years, the effort to establish, or reestablish, intercity passenger rail as an impor- tant element of the nations transportation syst
37、em has been bipolarholding out the vision of 300-mile-per-hour trains, but struggling from year to year to just keep Amtrak afloat. Today, the states, Congress, the Obama Administration, and a wide array of transportation experts and interests agree that the United States needs a national intercity
38、passenger rail system. Today, a vision of a future for intercity passenger rail appears achievable. This report summarizes the status of that effort, recaps the steps that have been taken to get to this point, especially by the states, and offers material for the purpose of continuing to fill out an
39、d implement that vision. The Federal Government In recent years, the nation has struggled to maintain and expand a safe, secure, environ- mentally sound, and reliable national surface transportation system. In the process, it has become clear that ensuring the viable, reliable, and efficient system
40、that the nation needs will require integrating all modes of transportation in the national passenger and freight mobility system. States have led efforts to develop intercity passenger rail, urging action by Congress since 2002. A series of actions in the past two years, advocated and supported by t
41、he states, signal a consensus within the federal government, both the Congress and the Executive Branch, in support of an intercity passenger rail system to meet the mobility needs of the 21 stCentury. Congress has provided funding sufficient for the continued responsible operation of Amtrak and aft
42、er a decade-long hiatus passed an Amtrak authorization. For FY08, the Congress appropriated $30 million for the first intercity passenger rail state capital grant program; FRA received 25 applications from 22 states and made 15 awards. 2009 by the American Association of State Highway and Transporta
43、tion Officials. All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law. Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation The FY09 appropriations repeated and increased the funds available to $90 million (and included $25 million in rail line relocation funding). Culminating a several-year effort,
44、the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) was enacted. On February 17 th2009, $8 billion was authorized for intercity passenger rail as part of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. PRIIA authorizes $1.9 billion over five years for grants to states for intercity passeng
45、er rail capital projects, $1.5 billion for high-speed rail corridor development, and $325 million for rail congestion grants. PRIIA requires that state applicants prepare a comprehensive rail plan (passenger and freight) and requires that the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration “dev
46、elop a long-range national rail plan that is consistent with approved state rail plans and the rail needs of the nation, as determined by the Secretary, in order to promote an integrated, cohesive, efficient, and optimized national rail system for the move- ment of goods and people” and to “develop
47、a preliminary national rail plan within a year after the enactment of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.” Early in 2009, when the details of the final Congressional action on The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act became public, one of the biggest surprises was the inclus
48、ion of $8 billion for intercity passenger rail. In the succeeding days, it became clear that this initia- tive was at the direct request of President Obama and that it reflected a long-term commit- ment to a national intercity passenger rail system. President Obamas April 2009 “Vision for High-Speed
49、 Rail in America” offers both a bold vision for the future and, importantly, realistic steps to get there. The President said, “High-speed rail is long overdue, and this plan lets American travelers know they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed in cars on the highways.” President Obama said, “Were not talking about starting from scratch, were talking about using existing infrastructure to increase speeds on some routes from 70 miles an hour to over 100 miles per hourso
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