Feds to reveal who gets bullet train money this winter (Source: Central Valley Business Times)

Link: Central Valley Business Times

Feds to reveal who gets bullet train money this winter


WASHINGTON, D.C.
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October 6, 2009 12:51pm

• All grants to be announced at same time

• ‘Our selections will be merit-based’

California will have to wait until sometime this winter to find out if it will get $4.5 billion in stimulus money to help pay for the state’s proposed bullet train.

If built, it would whisk passengers through the Central Valley on a route connecting Los Angeles with San Francisco at speeds over 200 mph.

“Due to the overwhelming response and our desire to lay the groundwork for a truly national high-speed and intercity passenger rail program, we will be announcing all awards this winter,” says Federal Railroad Administration 
Administrator Joseph Szabo in a written statement Tuesday afternoon.

“Our selections will be merit-based and will reflect President Obama’s vision to remake America’s transportation landscape,” he says.

California’s request for $4.5 billion would be matched with money approved by state voters last year in a bond issue.

Mr. Szabo says there have been 45 applications for grant funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for high-speed and intercity passenger rail programs from 24 states totaling approximately $50 billion to advance high-speed rail corridor programs and 214 applications from 34 states totaling $7 billion for corridor planning and smaller projects.