In a body blow to the hopes for bringing high speed rail to southside Hampton Roads, President Obama traveled to Tampa, Florida today to announce distribution of the $8 billion in federal money marked for development of high-speed rail throughout the country. While 31 states will receive some portion of that money, Virginia officials had hoped that the ability to tie the existing Amtrak line in Newport News with a new rail line to Norfolk, which would then connect with Raleigh/Charlotte, NC, would come to fruition. Doing so would prevent the Hampton Roads region from remaining a transportation ‘cul-de-sac’ which it became at the conclusion of the Federal Highway development programs in the 50s and 60s.
While $2.34 billion was set aside for California’s high speed rail system, Virginia itself received only $100 million, of which $25 million has been marked for easing congestion from Raleigh to Richmond. The other $75 million is set aside for development of an additional line from Washington to Richmond.
This development may or may not be a slap at Governor Bob McDonnell; my hopes would be that it is not. It is however another direct repudiation of former Governor Tim Kaine, who’s handling of readily available transportation dollars continues to depress and sully what little shine was left to his legacy. Lest we forget the public blasting our great Commonwealth took for Tim Kaine’s incompetence [1]:
“In August 2009, almost six months after the enactment of the Recovery Act, I sent letters to the best and worst performers in putting to work Recovery Act highway funds. Since then, we have watched many States move aggressively to use these funds to create and sustain family-wage jobs, contribute to our nation’s long-term economic growth and help the United States recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression.
“Regrettably, Virginia is not among these states. Based on the State progress reports submitted to the Committee in September 2009, Virginia has fallen far behind other states in putting to work its Recovery Act highway formula funds.
“According to submissions received from all States and the District of Columbia, your State ranks last among all States (51 out of 51) based on an analysis of percentage of Recovery Act Highway formula funds put out to bid, under contract and underway.As of August 31, Virginia had begun construction of projects totaling only 17 percent of the State’s funding.
“I strongly urge you to refocus your efforts to implement the Recovery Act and use the available funds to create and sustain family-wage jobs. These jobs are critical to Virginia’s and the nation’s long-term economic growth.”
Given Kaine’s ineptitude and failure to deliver any measurable federal assistance to our state, despite being readily available, the failure for the Obama administration to tab any notable high-speed rail project (Hampton Roads to North Carolina, Charlottesville to DC, Richmond to Hampton Roads) for the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as another grim reminder of the failed policies and leadership of Tim Kaine.
Meanwhile, Bob McDonnell has made it clear from day one at his kick-off in Virginia Beach that he wants high-speed rail to in Hampton Roads. Thankfully, we finally have a governor he understands it will take creative solutions to solve the transportation crisis, rather than continuing to blame the General Assembly and passing the buck to the next Governor, as we experienced over the last eight years.