Chattanooga bullet train advocates say they’re upbeat after remarks by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood indicating he’d like to see service go through Chattanooga and Nashville.
Also, the Atlanta-Chattanooga-Chicago rail corridor is now on White House maps showing potential routes, said Wayne Cropp, who heads the Scenic City’s Enterprise Center.
“These are two positive developments,” he said.
Mr. LaHood’s remarks came this week at the Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit in Washington, D.C., Mr. Cropp said.
Joe Ferguson, who oversees Chattanooga’s rail effort, said the next step is to locally match $13.8 million available in federal money. Those funds would help complete an environmental study of the Atlanta-Chattanooga route, he said.
The final environmental impact study would site the train’s route and stations, Mr. Ferguson said.
There’s no reason the route couldn’t be eligible for part of an estimated $2 billion in federal money expected to be spent on high-speed rail nationwide, he said.
FAST TRAINSupporters envision a bullet train hitting speeds of 300 miles per hour between Savannah, Ga., and Chicago, and traveling through Atlanta, Chattanooga and Nashville.
“We could be considered in the running,” Mr. Ferguson said.
Mr. Cropp said Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield has pledged the city’s matching share, and officials are working to secure North Georgia’s and the Atlanta area’s.
But some North Georgia public officials this year said they may not help provide the match because of the depressed economy.
The Chattanooga-Atlanta plan initially was passed over for federal stimulus money. Officials here said they weren’t surprised because the lack of an environmental report. They have said the study could be ready in about 18 months.