An Amtrak Acela train, currently the nations only HSR line (Photo: Flickr user jimkleeman)

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded 54 high speed rail projects (HSR) across the country $2.5 billion to invest in improving the nation’s passenger rail infrastructure. This funding follows more than $8 billion awarded last January as seed money to get the ball rolling on expanding HSR in the U.S.

“States understand that high-speed rail represents a unique opportunity to create jobs, revitalize our manufacturing base, spur economic development and provide people with an environmentally friendly transportation option,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood.

Some of the major projects to receive funding include:

• $900 million for San Francisco to Los Angeles HSR in California
• $800 million for the Tampa to Orlando HSR corridor in Florida
• $230 million for new intercity rail service between Iowa City and Chicago
• $161 million for an HSR corridor between Detroit and Chicago

$2.4 billion sounds like a lot of money, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to what other countries are spending on their rail networks. China is investing $120 billion this year alone to expand their HSR network, which by 2012 will be the largest in the world.

US intercity travel trends (Source: Federal Railroad Administration)

The creation of a viable alternative to air and car travel in the U.S. will take a lot of money, but it will create thousands of jobs, improve livability in many areas, and help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation sector. As you can see from the graphic on the left, the U.S. has a long way to go.

UPDATE:

A number of newly elected republican officials are strongly against the proposed rail projects, vowing to kill the plans and not accept the stimulus money. Why these officials in Florida, Wisconsin, and Ohio would reject much-needed funding that would boost local economic development is beyond me.