Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of Louisiana, made headlines on Saturday for refusing to $ 300 million in start-up money to promote high speed rail system in the Bayou State. Mr. Jindal kept the application of clock time Friday for the funds. The governor said he was concerned about the future maintenance of the proposed rapid rail line between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
It 'still in Louisiana was discussion on whether the refusal of Mr Jindal remedy for his country. Joseph Cao, a Republican member of New Orleans, has already spoken against the decision of the Governor.
Political debates aside, there are some indications that the New Orleans-Baton Rouge corridor is not necessarily the best choice for a train speed. Last month, the people of America, 2050, a sort of think tank focused on the concept of 'mega-regions ", a report [PDF] on" What is the best High-Speed Rail. "
America, 2050 27.000 links between the cities of size, the distance is calculated, transit connections, economic productivity, congestion, and if they are part of a mega region of interconnected cities. Baton Rouge, New Orleans, not in Top 50 *. Instead, the results of conventional wisdom: Confirming the northeast corridor, the upper Midwest and the West Coast of the best places in America for the new high speed line. And while Mr. Jindal hesitation not the Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger hesitate to ask for the HSR irritating. Perhaps it is the President read the report.
* Update: I ruined this one, Infrastucturist recalls that the city pairs across America in 2050 rank was 100 miles away, and New Orleans-Baton Rouge is not. The couple could not be in the top 50. Sorry! Of course, that the relationship is solid, "a distance of less than 100 miles for a better car and mobility of the suburban train network," and not travel as part of his ideal phased introduction of HSR in America. The point that Mr. Jindal, the state is probably not the best choice for high-speed rail still holds.
The Infrastructurist is true that "a decent 80 miles of links between the economic center of the state and the largest city and the capital is not a bad idea." But to say that 300 million dollars in federal funds would be better to HSR in the northeast, upper Midwest, and California is not out crazy, o.