Awards for high speed rail projects will be announced Oct. 26. CA will receive $902 million for 18 projects from SF to San Diego, the largest in the Central Valley. Florida will get $800 million for the Orlando to Tampa line
The huge award for the Central Valley may cause that segment to begin construction first. The announcements were transmitted to congressional representatives in advance of the formal awards.
From Fresno Bee: "Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, on Monday announced that the Federal Rail Administration had allocated $715 million specifically for building the first portion of the system in the Central Valley.
But California's High-Speed Rail Authority is still weeks from officially choosing which segment will be built first, and state officials appeared to be taken off-guard by Costa's announcement."
From Orlando Sentinel: "The official announcement is not expected until Thursday, (Oct. 28) but U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told Florida lawmakers that he was adding ($800 million) to the $1.25 billion already pledged by the Obama administration for construction of the 84-mile-long rail line, which would run largely along the median of Interstate 4."
Thanks to California League of Conservation Voters
FULL STORY: Feds give California nearly $1 billion for high-speed rail and related train projects
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