Maryland should build a high-speed bullet train...direct from DC to Baltimore....15 minutes maximum... (North Beach: costs, buses)

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

And who will pay for it? The Eastern Shore and Western Maryland taxpayers who subsidize the DC Metro, the Baltimore Metro, the Light Rail, the MTA buses, and the ICC?

But the Highway System is free?

I never understand the Republican argument that gov't putting money into a highway and road system, that people drive on are free....costs us nothing.

Yet, if the gov't builds public transportation, which charges people to ride, that somehow it's a financially irresponsible choice by a local gov't?

[North Beach Person]

It's just not a "Republican" argument. MD is decades behind on road projects for a number of reasons. One major cause is the length of time and regulatory review that projects have to go through. The aforementioned ICC took nearly 20 years to build due to lawsuits and the review process. Another reason, and this is one no one mentions and it spread throughout the system to include schools, was that the State and local governments were slow in recognizing the rapid suburbanization of the outlying Counties. Infrastructure from roads to schools to water and sewer to emergency services just didn't keep up.

Remember, drivers pay for the roads with every gallon of gas they buy. At least that's the theory. The reality in MD is that successive Governors, from both parties, have raided the Highway Trust Fund to balance the General Fund with the promise that those funds would be paid back. That has yet to happen and the Fund is supposed to be a self-sustaining fund with bond payments for construction to be paid from tax receipts. With the raids the money isn't there.

One reason that the rural areas complain is that the transit systems are heavily subsidized out of gas tax monies, the cost to ride is about 1/3 the cost to move that rider from Point A to Point B while rural roads continue to have issues from congestion to maintenance to safety issues.

Another complaint from the local governments concerns Highway User Fund payments. These are payments from the State to local governments from gas tax revenues for road construction and maintenance. Those payments have been cut under O' Malley by 95%. The problem with that is many of the local road projects that money was supposed to help pay for were mandated by the State and then the funding was yanked away.

I mentioned the Thomas Johnson Bridge in another thread. It has been problematic since almost the time it opened and was shut down for several months about 20 years ago to back engineer and repair structural issues. It is on the priority list now for replacement. Construction is expected to commence in 2032.

[Lumerian Feast]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

LoL......ummm...the DC suburbs and to a lesser extent Baltimore support the entire state. You don't have the population to support the towns you live in. The urban area's pay for your roads, sewers, and schools. Are you kidding? It's like this in every state in the nation. The rural area's are subsidized by the city. Add up your tax base and compare that to the expense of your low density towns. The city pays for you to live your quaint lifestyle. Your tax dollars don't even support yourselves much less DC or Baltimore. You may want to research this.

Exactly. Central Maryland is the economic engine of the state. The idea that the Eastern Shore and Western MD are paying for the DC-Baltimore corridor is pretty laughable.

[InvaderBryce]

Originally Posted by Lumerian Feast

Exactly. Central Maryland is the economic engine of the state. The idea that the Eastern Shore and Western MD are paying for the DC-Baltimore corridor is pretty laughable.

I think his point was that while the Eastern Shore and Western MD help contribute to the transportation system, they seem to be forgotten and passed over by state officials; they feel 'used'.

[ay jayy]

Yeah, what MDAllStar said, The DC/Balt area "liberal elites" massively subsidize the rest of the state.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

The Majority of Maryland would benefit for the High Speed Rail / Regional Rail network , 85% of the state including the Eastern Shore and Hagerstorm would get lines. There not being left out , the extreme Western handle might get some service aswell.

Western Maryland begins another 30 miles west of Hagerstown at Sideling Hill. Hagerstown is closer in distance to Rockville than it is to Cumberland, and there is plenty of Maryland west of where I sit too.

Hagerstown is solidly part of Mid-Maryland, though on the fringe. Washington County is growing in population, income levels are going up, the county houses commuters that have spurred growth and development. We don't have that out here in REAL Western Maryland. We are two poor Appalachian Counties, in a state that hardly knows we exist (except for our state welfare checks from Annapolis, as MDAllstar points out.)

So, carry on the discussion, but don't claim this plan is going to help "Western Maryland," we will be lucky to get crumbs.

[ersatz]

Almost two years ago Tiger Eye posted

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Maryland should build a high-speed bullet train...direct from DC to Baltimore...no stops...15 minutes maximum...
It would completely revolutionize Baltimore...$$ and wealth would pour in, for those seeking urban living at much lower prices.

Most (including the OP) weighed in to say that such a project would never happen in the US. Others asked some good questions

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

And who will pay for it? The Eastern Shore and Western Maryland taxpayers who subsidize the DC Metro, the Baltimore Metro, the Light Rail, the MTA buses, and the ICC?

Now there seems to be an answer … drum-roll ….. Japan.

Japan Proposes 'Super-Maglev' Train Connecting Baltimore to D.C. in 15 Minutes | Entrepreneur.com

I realize that I am oversimplifying. This would still leave a huge amount of funding to be raised locally but this offer could be a significant step forward. Of course, such fund raising will be vigorously opposed. There will be attempts to crush the possibility permanently by the usual siderodromophobic* political suspects because well, you know, passenger trains are commie and this offer is an obvious plot by the Japanese to destroy America (again). Don't forget the most heinous and impermissible danger of all - that people will use it, like it and want more trains.

Even if this gets built such travel is likely to be expensive and perhaps beyond the price point an average commuter is willing to pay. I think that a lot of tourists and impulse travelers would use it if it were the first working maglev in the US. I would ride it for sure because as a train enthusiast – maglev! How cool is that?!

*fear of trains

[GoPhils]

$8 billion, good lord

[diablo234]

Just out of curiosity does anyone else thinks it's kind of pathetic that the most densely populated region of the country in one of the wealthiest countries in the world still does not have true high speed rail and yet other countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc all have high speed rail networks with trains running in excess of 200mph?

[picardlx]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Just out of curiosity does anyone else thinks it's kind of pathetic that the most densely populated region of the country in one of the wealthiest countries in the world still does not have true high speed rail and yet other countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc all have high speed rail networks with trains running in excess of 200mph?

Yes, I used to think that and still do I suppose. But we were the pioneers in conventional railway technology and invested heavily in laying rail all over the country during the 19th century. Like most transportation investments, we'll have to completely run them down to the ground and squeeze every ounce of return out of them before we begin installing completely new technology. Unfortunately, that may mean we won't see widespread adoption of HSR in the US in our lifetimes. But a century from now, it maybe that the US will have state of the art 22nd century HSR and countries like China will still have 21st century HSR and their populace will be complaining about their antiquated technology then like we are today.