Florida's new GOP governor will likely kill high speed rail

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When he succeeds Charlie Crist as governor in January, Scott will serve alongside a wholly Republican Cabinet and GOP supermajorities in the state House and Senate -- where, even by Republican standards, leadership is taking an unusually conservative turn.

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Despite those advantages, Scott -- a business executive who has never before held public office -- will likely hit some bumps.

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One possible area of conflict: high-speed and commuter rail.

After years of debate, the Legislature met in special session last January to approve SunRail, a $1.2-billion commuter rail project in Central Florida. SunRail is part of a larger rail plan for Florida that includes high-speed rail linking Orlando to Tampa and Miami.

The rail projects depend on both state and federal funding. Scott, however, has repeatedly expressed skepticism about spending state money on them.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/nov/07/observers-say-scott-may-have-some-scrapes-with-gop/news-breaking/

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

When he succeeds Charlie Crist as governor in January, Scott will serve alongside a wholly Republican Cabinet and GOP supermajorities in the state House and Senate -- where, even by Republican standards, leadership is taking an unusually conservative turn.

...

Despite those advantages, Scott -- a business executive who has never before held public office -- will likely hit some bumps.

...

One possible area of conflict: high-speed and commuter rail.

After years of debate, the Legislature met in special session last January to approve SunRail, a $1.2-billion commuter rail project in Central Florida. SunRail is part of a larger rail plan for Florida that includes high-speed rail linking Orlando to Tampa and Miami.

The rail projects depend on both state and federal funding. Scott, however, has repeatedly expressed skepticism about spending state money on them.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/nov/07/observers-say-scott-may-have-some-scrapes-with-gop/news-breaking/

Well, Scott has some master plan to create like 700M jobs here right quick. Take HSR off the table and this will not be any easier to accomplish. But he's know to cook numbers. It's how he got rich and was able to buy the governor's mansion. We shall see. In the end, the voters presented this guy with a veto proof legislature. That might contain some of the damage this crook was looking to inflict on the state.

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Well, Scott has some master plan to create like 700M jobs here right quick. Take HSR off the table and this will not be any easier to accomplish. But he's know to cook numbers. It's how he got rich and was able to buy the governor's mansion. We shall see. In the end, the voters presented this guy with a veto proof legislature. That might contain some of the damage this crook was looking to inflict on the state.

Florida does not appear to me to be well suited for HSR. It is simply not dense enough, with possible exception of the greater Miami area. I hope your new governor does the right thing here and leaves the money alone so it can be used where it will be mich more useful. Like the NE.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Calif. will get HSR B4 FL.

Calif. already has a HSR authority. Now we just need some Obama Billions to make it happen in this lifetime.

CA HSR

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Calif. will get HSR B4 FL.

Calif. already has a HSR authority. Now we just need some Obama Billions to make it happen in this lifetime.

CA HSR

Kali is dense in parts. It makes sense. Florida? Not so much. HSR in Ohio and Wisconsin sounds even sillier.

[scandal 951]

Kali is dense in parts. It makes sense. Florida? Not so much. HSR in Ohio and Wisconsin sounds even sillier.

Hey!! Can you imagine how awesome it would be to take HSR up to see Packers games at Lambeau Field?

It would instantly become the Cheesehead Express!

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Hey!! Can you imagine how awesome it would be to take HSR up to see Packers games at Lambeau Field?

It would instantly become the Cheesehead Express!

I don't know, dude. That sounds kinda socialist to me.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

With everything being built by the lowest bidder, typical graft and payoffs, and using Chinese manufactured components, the crashes at high speed should be spectacular!

[DEDixon 39]

Who said it makes sense in California?

Take San Fran to LA for an example. Say family of 4 wants to go to LA.

4 HSR tickets, need to pay for parking at the HSR station, need to get a taxi or bus to get around LA. Trip takes over 3 hours.

HSR can't beat the automobile. 4 people, 1 tank of gas, 6 hours, no need to rent a car on arrival. Oh and the 6 hours is door to door. The train ride alone is over 3 hours so add in getting to the HSR parking lot, pay parking, bus to HSR terminal... 2 hours additional so it is a no brainer to drive.

HSR can't compete with airlines yet this is what HSR is will be compete with - it can't out-do a car and can't beat an airplane's time - LOSER! After it is built, just a bunch of over paid union employees constantly threatening to strike. They'll be paid more than airline employees so ticket prices will quickly out pace an air ticket. HSR - huge waste of money!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Florida does not appear to me to be well suited for HSR. It is simply not dense enough, with possible exception of the greater Miami area. I hope your new governor does the right thing here and leaves the money alone so it can be used where it will be mich more useful. Like the NE.

The main issue I see with HSR in FL is that there's no local transit system worth mentioning in the respective metro areas. You'd have to take a car to the train station in Tampa to take HSR to Orlando and then in Orlando, you'd have to get in a car to reach your final destination in that city. The drive from here to there being 1.5 hours, I just don't see why people would jump into a train isntead. I don't think I would.

[scandal 951]

Who said it makes sense in California?

Take San Fran to LA for an example. Say family of 4 wants to go to LA.

HSR can't beat the automobile. 4 people, 1 tank of gas, 6 hours, no need to rent a car on arrival. Oh and the 6 hours is door to door. The train ride alone is over 3 hours so add in getting to the HSR parking lot, pay parking, bus to HSR terminal... 2 hours additional so it is a no brainer to drive.

I agree with you about HSR in CA being silly ... but...

you drive pretty fast, man. 6 hours SF-LA?

I used to drive from Sunnyvale to LA, that's a savings of ~30-40 min over SF, and I never did it in less than 7hrs door to door. That's accounting for getting through Pacheco Pass to pick up I-5. I would say SF is about 7.5hr.

[luckytxn 2,264]

The main issue I see with HSR in FL is that there's no local transit system worth mentioning in the respective metro areas. You'd have to take a car to the train station in Tampa to take HSR to Orlando and then in Orlando, you'd have to get in a car to reach your final destination in that city. The drive from here to there being 1.5 hours, I just don't see why people would jump into a train isntead. I don't think I would.

Which is why he maybe is seeing that it is not a wise investment. Even after being built it will require a lot of subsidizing. So why spend a lot of money only to have to keep spending money to keep it going. If it could become self sufficient and ven pay for itself then it would be a good thing. Even up in the NE where they have had mass transit they still have to subsidize.

[DEDixon 39]

I agree with you about HSR in CA being silly ... but...

you drive pretty fast, man. 6 hours SF-LA?

I used to drive from Sunnyvale to LA, that's a savings of ~30-40 min over SF, and I never did it in less than 7hrs door to door. That's accounting for getting through Pacheco Pass to pick up I-5. I would say SF is about 7.5hr.

it does depend on what time you leave. i like traveling after rush hour so i always plan to arrive early AM. get on I-5 and go! one can get caught speeding, but for the most part, I-5 is free and clear. 6 hours is for real. i live in the East Bay and Google maps has me in LA in 6 hours, 40 minutes. i think google is assuming the speed limit. But, even at 7 hours, having a car upon arrival is better than a train and having to rent a car.

i once did East Bay to San Diego in a little, just a little, over 8 hours. i had a co-pilot that i actually got from craigslist that drove really fast. 90MPH on I-5 is nerve racking at first, but after a while, try to slow to 75 and it seems like 45 so back to 90 where it seems just right. Not recommended for the family of four, i know.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I generally set the cruise control at 77 mph on I5. That gives you 10% over for speedo error, about as fast as you can go without risking a ticket. The last few times I took US101. It's actually faster for me, since I am going from the Russian River to Malibu. Getting to I5 from here and getting across SFV to US1 is a pain, almost anytime of day, or night. You can still open to about 80 mph going from King City to Paso Robles. The rest of the trip I set the cruise at 72 mph.