Passenger Transport - 12/04/2015

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Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a longtime supporter of high-speed rail and other public transit and sustainability initiatives, addressed a Dec. 2 APTA High-Speed Rail Policy Forum, “Getting to the Tipping Point for High-Speed Rail in the U.S.: The Role of Federal Government in High-Speed and Intercity Rail Development,” at APTA’s offices in Washington, DC.

Blumenauer, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, is a vice chair of the Congressional Bicameral Caucus on High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail and chairs the Livable Communities Task Force. In a statement, he said that to develop a 21st-century intercity transportation system, the U.S. must invest in high-speed rail to allow the population to move quickly and inexpensively across the country.

APTA hosted the forum as part of an ongoing discussion of the role of the federal government in planning, funding and leading efforts for high-speed rail corridors and services. Currently, states and regions throughout the U.S. are taking the lead in developing high-speed rail projects.

The program focused on discussions of next steps APTA can take to move the high-speed rail agenda forward at the federal level. This forum is a follow-up to a fall 2014 meeting on the topic, “What will be the tipping point for a national high-performance passenger rail plan and program?”

APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy and APTA Chair Valarie J. McCall, a member of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees, welcomed participants to the forum at the opening session. Peter Gertler, chair of the APTA High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, reported on the committee’s activities and highlights, while committee Vice Chair Albrecht P. (Al) Engel explained the background and context for the “tipping point” idea.

In addition to Blumenauer’s remarks and the opening panel, the day-long agenda featured three panel discussions and a final session, “Top Priorities and Next Steps,” moderated by transportation consultant Eric C. Peterson. Session topics and panelists included the following:

Planning and Environmental Clearance: Dominic Spaethling, chair, APTA High-Speed and Intercity Rail Programs Subcommittee, moderator; panelists, David Valenstein, chief, environmental and corridor planning division, FRA; Shaun McCabe, vice president, engineering, Texas Central Partners; David J. Carol, senior vice president, market leader, high-speed rail and railroads, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff; and Peter A. Peyser Jr., principal, Peyser Associates LLC.

Funding and Finance of Intercity and High-Speed Rail Systems: Sharon Greene, co-chair, High-Speed and Intercity Rail Finance Subcommittee, moderator; panelists, Melissa L. Porter, principal legal officer and advisor to the administrator, FRA; Marc-Andre Roy, vice president North America, CPCS; Jodie Misiak, director, project development, Build America Transportation Investment Center, DOT; and Laurene Mahon, managing director/global head of infrastructure finance, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

Leadership and Governance: Engel, moderator; panelists, Stephen J. Gardner, executive vice president, Northeast Corridor business development, Amtrak; Darrell Johnson, chair, High-Speed Rail and Intercity Passenger Rail Regional Corridors Subcommittee; Matthew Kelly, professional staff member, Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security Subcommittee, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; and Emily Stock, manager of rail planning, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

Polls Say It’s Time for HSR
The forum referenced the survey High-Speed Rail in America 2015, conducted for APTA by TechnoMetrica, which found that 63 percent of Americans would be likely to use high-speed rail if it were currently available. That figure rises to 67 percent when respondents took into account the costs and time-saving benefits of high-speed rail.

A subsequent APTA survey conducted by ORC International showed that more than seven in 10 people across all age groups and political affiliations support increased federal funding for public transportation systems that serve communities of all sizes. To see both surveys, visit the APTA website.