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Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, convened the first in a series of field hearings and roundtable discussions on critical transportation issues Jan. 27 in New York City. The hearing focused on high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor, specifically the need for transportation choices in the most densely populated and congested U.S. region and ensuring inclusion of private sector investment.

“Bringing true high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor will benefit the entire nation,” Mica said. He referred to the 437-mile corridor between Washington, DC, and Boston as “one of our nation’s most valuable assets, including some of the most prime real estate in the world,” but that it is underserved by current modes of transportation.

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), chairman of the T&I Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, also stressed his support for high-speed rail on the Northeast Corridor. In his opening statement, Shuster said: “High-speed rail is essential to our nation’s transportation future and our best hope for easing crowding on our congested highways and airspace. There is simply no better way to move large numbers of people from city-center to city-center than on high-speed rail.”

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Ed Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania and co-chair of Building America’s Future, were among witnesses at the event.

"This hearing was an example of strong bipartisan support for the high-speed rail program," said APTA President William Millar. "We look forward to being a part of the discussion at upcoming hearings to implement these smart investments in high-speed rail, public transportation, and our overall transportation infrastructure."

More information on the hearing can be found online.

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