GOP Rep. Reed: Abandon high-speed rail

A New York Republican said this week that an upstate rail line there should be cancelled because it’s not “financially viable.”
 
The train will not generate enough revenue to justify building it, Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) said in a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
 
“In times of national financial crisis, we simply cannot support this expenditure of precious tax dollars on a project that will not be financially viable in the long-term,” Reed wrote.
 
“Constructing a high-speed rail line across Western and Upstate New York is not practical. A true high-speed rail line across this region would require its own dedicated track. Fulfilling this requirement would cost tens of billions of dollars."

Reed appeared in his district earlier this week with House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.). Mica has said he supports rail projects generally but not those that are being pushed by President Obama's administration.
 
Reed told LaHood the rail money could be better spent in other places.
 
"At a time when our roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure are deteriorating, our tax dollars would be better spent elsewhere," he wrote. "We simply must make the tough choices necessary to prioritize our limited resources on projects that are essential and have the potential for long-term self-sufficiency.
 
“Establishing a high-speed rail line in Upstate New York would be disruptive to existing rail freight traffic and is simply not practical or feasible at this time,” Reed concluded.
 
LaHood has insisted Obama remains committed to the high-speed rail projects despite rejections of federal money from three Republican governors.