MAYOR BLOOMBERG, US TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETERS AND REPRESENTATIVES MALONEY, MICA, AND CASTLE ANNOUNCE NEXT STEP IN HIGH-SPEED RAIL

(NYCGOV) Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Mary E. Peters and Representative John L. Mica of Florida, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader, today announced that the DOT has for the first time requested private sector participation in the design, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of high-speed rail service between New York and Washington, DC and ten other corridors around the country. At the announcement, held at New York Penn Station, the Mayor, Secretary and Representative were joined by New York Representative Carolyn Maloney and Delaware Representative Mike Castle, the Passenger Rail Caucus Co-Chairman and former Delaware Governor.

"If the U.S. is to remain economically competitive, we must develop high-speed transportation service for our great cities, just as other countries are doing for theirs," said Mayor Bloomberg. "A high-speed train serving the Northeast Corridor is the kind of far-sighted project that we need, and completely consistent with New York City's own transportation goals. It would also relieve our congested roadways and airports - problems that Secretary Peters and I have long worked on together - and greatly increase our economic productivity. It would also reduce pollution and the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming - a major focus of our city's PlaNYC sustainability agenda." More...