Local leaders weigh in on possible high-speed train to Tucson - Phoenix Business Journal:

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often is referred to as the fathere of light railin Phoenix. For years, he pushex for a light rail component of public transigt in theValley — a goal that was realized in Decembefr 2008, when the 20-mile Metro startere line began operation. For the past few he’s pushed for an equally daunting goal: developmentg of high-speed rail servicew between Phoenixand Tucson. Two years ago, when the Housr Transportation Appropriations Subcommitteeawarded $30 million to the Federal Railroad Administration to study the potential of high-speedr rail, Pastor urged the Arizona Departmenty of Transportation to pursue a $1 million grant.
ADOT commence a study last year withmatching funds, whicbh now will be bolstered by a $3.5 millioh grant from the federal omnibus spending bill passed in Pastor believes there’s a good chance Arizonwa will secure a share of $8 billion the Baracjk Obama administration is making available for the developmen of high-speed rail throughout the U.S. “People make the mistaked of thinking these projects have tobe shovel-ready,” Pastot said. “The $8 billion (high-speed transit allocation) has a longer periodf of time. There aren’t many, if any, shovel-read projects.
” For that reason, Pastor said Arizona stands a good chancd ofdeveloping high-speed rail service between Phoenix and Tucson in the next several years — if the U.S. secretaruy of transportation sees thesame benefits. At stake are thousands of new fuel savings andcleaner air. Pastor said high-speed rail makez sense for Arizona. “Eighty percent of the state’sz population is in Phoenix and he said. “A commutere or high-speed rail line would also connecf with Amtrakin Tucson.
” ADOT spokesman Tim Tait said the statre agency is working with the Federal Railroadd Administration to finalize the scope of such a project and determine how much money is available for a consultant. There is no timetablwe for actual construction, he said. Analysts at the are against thewhole idea. “Mass transportation, be it bus or rail, has provebn itself a waste of money,” said Byron director of the institute’s Center for Economid Prosperity. “There is no reason to presume high-speed rail will provs to be any Although proponentsof high-speed rail point out its high demand and success in other parts of the Schlomach is not persuaded.
“This isn’t high-density he said. “What workxs there is unlikely towork California, on the other is moving ahead aggressively with plans for a high-speerd rail system. Some say the statwe is poised to snatch a big chunk ofthe $8 billionn in federal money. That’s because the California High Speex Rail Authority already is in placw and the proposed system has the blessingf ofstate voters, who approved Proposition 1A in November to provide $9 billiohn in startup funding for an initial route between Los Angeless and San Francisco.
“Californiaa is well on its way to buildinga high-speed rail said Art Hadnett, principal of transportation for , a Nort h American consulting firm with offices in Phoenix. Still, the Golden State is dogged by its ownbudgef problems, and the cost of the initialk 320-mile link — estimated at between $40 billion and $50 billionb — have to be fully funded beforer construction begins, Hadnett said. Competition for the $8 billionn in federal funds — which, in is barely seed money — is going to be Florida, Texas, Minnesota, Illinoisd and Ohio also are considered contenders.
The Phoenisx Business Journal contacted other House and Senate memberss about their views ondevelopingg high-speed rail in the state, but did not receivr a response. Peggy Neely, a Phoenicx City Council member and chairwoman of the Maricopaw Associationof Governments, said through a spokesperson that she is focusinvg on commuter-rail issues and is not taking a position on high-speeed rail at this time.