Federal money is making high-speed rail possible, but state governments are unsure if they can afford to maintain and operate the systems once they are in place.
Daniel C. Vock of the Pew Center on the States writes, "The price tag of high-speed rail remains a big sticking point, even in Wisconsin, where the federal government granted the state its full request for the Milwaukee-Madison leg. At issue is whether the state could subsidize the route's operating costs once trains start to run in 2013. The state, in its application (PDF), estimated that the Milwaukee-Madison route would require $7.5 million a year in state subsidies, on top of the $8.1 million needed to keep trains running between Milwaukee and Chicago."
Wisconsin Republicans are up in arms over the cost of the new system, and are promising to sink it if they get elected.
FULL STORY: The not-so-fast track for high-speed rail
Federal Funding for California High-Speed Rail Under Review
USDOT says it will evaluate the funding currently committed to the construction of California’s high-speed rail project, which has run years behind schedule and billions over its projected budget.
California HSR Could Be Up and Running by 2033
A newly restructured leadership promises to speed up the arduous construction process and start running trains in five to eight years.
Madison BRT a Midwest Rarity
Despite the benefits, just three Midwestern cities have bus rapid transit lines.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
OKC Approves 7.2 Miles of New Bike Lanes
The city council is implementing its BikeWalkOKC plan, which recommends new bike lanes on key east-west corridors.
Preserving Houston’s ‘Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing’
Unsubsidized, low-cost rental housing is a significant source of affordable housing for Houston households, but the supply is declining as units fall into disrepair or are redeveloped into more expensive units.
The Most Popular Tree on Google?
Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.
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