Indiana cities to see high-speed rail in their future?

[Rural King]

Gary International Airport could be the future hub of high-speed trains heading off to cities across the Midwest if proponents of proposed high-speed rail system are successful. The system which could create 19,000 permenant jobs and create an attractive inter-city travel alternative to a host of midwestern cities only has one major catch: the 2.5 billion dollar price tag the project would cost over 10 years. The Federal Railroad commission could however pick up anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of that cost, with the states and localitie receiving service picking up the remainder; which is still a large amount of expenditures for state and local governments to handle.

Propenents are lobbying the Regional Development Authority, which is funded by Lake and Porter Counties, to spend over $220,000 on a study of the plans viability and potential routes. A member of the Regional Development Authority has stated that counties outside of Lake and Porter who could benefit and receive service should also be asked to chip in with funds if a study is authorized.

Read more in the Lake County Post-Tribune.

So would could this work? Any thoughts on the long term impact such an ambitious endeavor could have of NWIN and the rest of the state? The Midwest? Should other Indiana cities like Lafayette and South Bend step up and chip in for a study?

[WOT]

Gary International Airport could be the future hub of high-speed trains heading off to cities across the Midwest if proponents of proposed high-speed rail system are successful. The system which could create 19,000 permenant jobs and create an attractive inter-city travel alternative to a host of midwestern cities only has one major catch: the 2.5 billion dollar price tag the project would cost over 10 years. The Federal Railroad commission could however pick up anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of that cost, with the states and localitie receiving service picking up the remainder; which is still a large amount of expenditures for state and local governments to handle.

Propenents are lobbying the Regional Development Authority, which is funded by Lake and Porter Counties, to spend over $220,000 on a study of the plans viability and potential routes. A member of the Regional Development Authority has stated that counties outside of Lake and Porter who could benefit and receive service should also be asked to chip in with funds if a study is authorized.

Read more in the Lake County Post-Tribune.

So would could this work? Any thoughts on the long term impact such an ambitious endeavor could have of NWIN and the rest of the state? The Midwest? Should other Indiana cities like Lafayette and South Bend step up and chip in for a study?