Thursday, January 28, 1999 (Washington, DC) CHICAGO—U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater, joined by Federal Railroad Administrator Jolene Molitoris, today announced the continuation and expansion of a successful public-private partnership to extend the Chicago Hub High-Speed Rail Corridor to Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

Secretary Slater also presented a check for $200,000 to Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson for a study of the impact of a new high-speed, turbine-powered locomotive on the Chicago Hub Corridor. The locomotive is being developed under the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Next Generation Program.

"Projects like this demonstrate President Clinton’s commitment to safety as the highest transportation priority and help build the transportation system for the new millennium," Secretary Slater said. "The American people will benefit from safe, comfortable, reliable, high-speed passenger rail service, which provides an attractive option for travel between major urban centers and helps cities manage the increased congestion that is forecasted."

The proposed extension will serve an urban population of more than 4 million persons which is in addition to the Chicago Hub Corridor population of about 20 million.

This extension of the Chicago Hub Corridor entitles the area to federal funds which will be combined with state and local funds to make highway grade crossing improvements in the corridor and accommodate speeds of 110 miles per hour. To eliminate hazards at grade crossings, the states plan for a mix of grade separations, improvements and closures. There are an estimated 1,075 grade crossings in the 970-mile Chicago Hub Corridor.

This is the first year of a six-year funding program under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. A total of $5.25 million has been made available for all high-speed rail corridors for fiscal 1999 and each year through fiscal 2005.

"We are committed to flexible choices in shaping our transportation system for the 21st century and high-speed rail will be critical to improving safety, protecting the environment and reducing congestion for millions of Americans," Administrator Molitoris said. "This corridor is a continuation of the movement across our country to develop high-speed rail service."

Molitoris said that high-speed trains on the Northeast Corridor have demonstrated how train travel can be safe, reliable, economical and comfortable. Trains on the Northeast Corridor already travel at speeds of 125 mph and will ultimately travel at 150 mph on certain segments.

Currently, Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington are investing in upgrades to existing rail corridors in order to provide improved passenger rail service.

Since initial costs can be a major deterrent to reaching truly desirable service levels, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is actively engaged in several public-private partnerships in order to provide affordable alternatives for designated high-speed corridors. Under its Next Generation High-Speed Rail Program, the FRA is working with the private sector to develop new satellite-based train control systems and innovative grade crossing treatments in addition to the new high-speed, turbine locomotive.

The goal of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Next Generation program is to facilitate the introduction of high-speed rail service by lowering costs in corridors such as the Chicago Hub Corridor.