[M II A II R II K]

Key to High Speed Rail's Success Is in The Details, Leaders Say


March 24, 2010

By Tom Palmer



Read More: http://www.theledger.com/article/201...ders-Say&tc=ar

LAKELAND | If high-speed rail and all of the planned transit connections that will make it work effectively are to succeed, Central Florida's leaders have to get the details and the facts right. That was the message business and civic leaders from Tampa to Orlando heard Wednesday morning at The Lakeland Center during the first of three planned briefings this spring on the status of the Florida high-speed rail project.

Work is under way to develop the first phase between downtown Tampa and Orlando International Airport following the award of $1.25 billion in federal stimulus funds in January by President Barack Obama. Some construction work may begin as early as next March, said Nazih Haddad, chief operating officer of the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida Rail Enterprise.

The line is expected to begin operations in 2015.

He said federal scrutiny of this project will be "strong" because this is the first high-speed rail project in the United States. That scrutiny will include a consultant hired by the Federal Railroad Administration, Haddad said.

But now that high-speed rail is moving from a concept to reality in Florida, some things have changed, key officials told the crowd of about 150 that attended the briefing. "We need to get the details right," Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said, explaining that means how people get to their destinations once they get off at the high-speed rail station.