High-speed rail money for Ohio, Wisconsin redirected

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Thursday it will redirect USD 1.195bn in high-speed rail funds originally set aside for Ohio and Wisconsin to other states.

Initially, Wisconsin had been allotted USD 810M for a Milwaukee to Madison corridor, and Ohio USD 400M for its “3C” route—Cincinnati-Columbus-Cleveland.

Governors-elect Scott Walker of Wisconsin and John Kasich of Ohio had both said they’d refuse to spend Recovery Act money on high-speed rail projects in their states, following their early November elections.

California and Florida are to be the biggest recipients of the redirected funding, receiving USD 624M and USD 342M, respectively. Washington, Illinois, New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Missouri, Oregon, North Carolina, Iowa and Indiana will also receive part of the money, as well as Wisconsin, for the Hiawatha Line.

Transportation secretary Ray LaHood said, “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.”