Chris0nllyn
Well-Known Member
https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/b...s_a_proposed_route_for_high-speed_train/13135After completing a federally-funded environmental study, the Maryland Department of Transportation and planners for a Superconducting Magnetic Levitation have three proposed routes for the journey between DC and Baltimore.
The main route that has been publicized would have a station in either the Mount Vernon Square/Chinatown area or near NoMA/Gallaudet Metro station, a stop at BWI Marshall Airport, and a final stop in either the Westport, Port Covington or Federal Hill/Inner Harbor neighborhoods. The tunnels for the routes could either run alongside the Baltimore-Washington Parkway or parallel a portion of Amtrak’s lines.
The project planners hope to have a route approved by mid-2019, paving the way for design and construction to begin later the same year. After completion, the line would eventually be extended northward to New York City.
This boondoggle of a project is back. For anyone who thinks govt. cares what you think, a public meeting will take place tonight in DC and Oct. 24 in Baltimore.
http://baltimorewashingtonscmaglevproject.com/index.php/public-involvement/upcoming-meetings
Now, to the nitty-gritty.
If you believe the website, project costs are expected to be anywhere from $10-$15 billion. I say that because the California high speed rail project is already over budget by 50% (in a $64 billion project) and 7 years over schedule.
All the routes proposed are about 35 miles long. So given the $15 billion estimate, that's $420 million PER MILE.
According to estimates, a 4 lane highway through a suburban or urban area costs $10 billion. So, a 1,500 mile long, 4-lane highway can be built for the same cost as this 35 mile lone maglev train route.
$15 billion could resurface 12,000 miles of road (or, about a 1/3rd of the roads in MD).
WMTA (which runs the DC buses and Metro) has an operating budget of $1.7 billion while the MTA (which runs Baltimore buses, light rail, and MARC train) has an operating budget of $787 million. That $15 billion could fund both agencies for 7 years without focing taxpayers to pay nor riders to pay.