Over a Dozen States Get Wisconsin and Ohio’s High-Speed Rail Money

As everyone is probably aware by now, the incoming governors of Ohio and Wisconsin, John Kasich and Scott Walker (respectively), have stated loudly and clearly that they don’t want high-speed rail (HSR) projects in their states. Even though these projects would create thousands of jobs, would help to modernize these states’ transportation systems, and federal funds would cover the majority of the capital expenses, Kasich and Walker have said that they don’t want the federal funds awarded to them for their major HSR projects.

Well, there are plenty of other states wanting that money and the federal government has not waited too long to redirect $1.195 billion from Wisconsin and Ohio to some of these other states. On Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that this money would be redirected to the following states/projects in this manner:

I’m sure these states are happy to be getting a little more funding. “High-speed rail will modernize America’s valuable transportation network, while reinvigorating the manufacturing sector and putting people back to work in good-paying jobs,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “I am pleased that so many other states are enthusiastic about the additional support they are receiving to help bring America’s high-speed rail network to life.”

And I can only feel a little sad for the people in Wisconsin and Ohio who are going to be missing out on these jobs and a head-start on the transportation system of the future…

As the U.S. DOT reports, Obama’s high-speed rail program “includes a 100 percent ‘Buy American’ requirement.”

Photo Credit: 棟樑‧Harry‧黃基峰‧Taiwan via flickr (CC license)