Posts Tagged ‘commerce’



Jerry Miller: Minnesota remains on track for high-speed rail

Post Bulletin

While partisan differences continue move our state government toward a shutdown, the world around us continues to move at a rapid rate. Political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa continues to put pressure on global oil prices. Developing nations like China, India and Brazil further expand, driving demand for oil exponentially higher.

As a result of world events, the price at the gas pump now changes daily, if not hourly. Airlines continue to find new ways to pass the cost of fuel to customers. The cost of oil threatens to pull our country back in to a recession.

As lawmakers argue whether or not we can afford to build and operate trains connecting regional cities, China continues to build upon its existing 3,100 mile high-speed rail system.

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Post Link: http://postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1458889

Scott’s rejection of high-speed rail will be costly for Florida’s future

tampabay.com

Florida Gov. Rick Scott last week unilaterally derailed the Tampa-to-Orlando high-speed rail line, saying the potential financial costs to the state were just too high.

But the price to Florida of doing nothing may prove no less stratospheric.

Amid a struggling state economy, doing nothing means lost jobs now and lost jobs in the future by pulling the plug not only on the 84-mile Tampa-to-Orlando line, but the entire statewide high-speed rail network that was expected to follow.

Doing nothing delivers a blow to Florida’s deepest desire to convey a can-do, 21st century image to the rest of the world. Doing nothing takes away Central Florida’s once-in-a-lifetime chance to be the first and (for a while) only true high-speed rail project in the United States. Doing nothing sacrifices $2.4 billion in federal funds once committed to high-speed rail here but soon likely destined for similar projects in more-welcoming states.

Post Link: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/scotts-rejection-of-high-speed-rail-will-be-costly-for-floridas-future/1152497

Priorities set for local group’s Washington, Springfield trips

The News-Gazette

A delegation from Champaign County plans to travel to Washington next month to advocate for high-speed rail, a rails-to-trails project and energy-efficiency grants for schools.

About 15 people have signed up for the March 8-11 trip to the nation’s capital to meet with congressional leaders and officials of the Obama administration. It’s the third such trip by the advocacy group Champaign County First.

“It’s a good mix of business leaders, community leaders and elected officials,” said Andrew Proctor, public policy manager for the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

Among those going: Habeeb Habeeb, the chair of Champaign County First; Laura Weis, president of the chamber; and John Dimit, president of the Champaign County Economic Development Corp.

At least three priorities have been identified so far:

– Continued support for the Kickapoo Trail, a proposed multiuse recreational path that would extend from Urbana to Kickapoo State Park west of Danville. The 24.5-mile route would be developed along former CSX railroad tracks. The Champaign County Forest Preserve District received nearly $900,000 in grant money for the project last fall. Now Champaign County First is requesting $590,000 for land acquisition.

– Money for further study of a proposed high-speed rail route between Chicago and St. Louis that would pass through Champaign. In contrast to a route through Bloomington that might accommodate 110-mph trains, the Champaign route would accommodate trains traveling as fast as 220 mph. Proctor said the group would seek $10 million to $15 million for a feasibility study.

– Continued support for energy-efficiency projects for school districts. In 2009, the federal government approved $500 million in bonding authority that was released to states. Now Champaign County First would like Illinois to release that money to school districts. School districts could use energy savings from the projects to pay back the bonds, Proctor said.

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Post Link: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/politics-and-government/2011-02-23/priorities-set-local-groups-washington-springfield-trips.htm

Firm Sees Profits behind High-speed Rail

From September 6th to the 14th an exhibition in Beijing will tell visitors how the development of railways has changed the life of Chinese people. It will also illustrate what our life will be like when the proposed high-speed railway network finishes in the country.

The exhibition of China’s railway development is held in Guangyao-Dongfang, a commercial property opposite the Beijing West Railway Station.

Guangyao-Dongfang, the real estate developer, joined hands with the China Railway Museum to host the exhibition on its new property, aimed at attracting more high-end clients who are well-educated and interested in China’s macro policies and economic development.

The company specializes in developing urban complexes in large and middle-sized cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. In the past few years, high-speed railways have greatly boosted the economy in these cities.

For instance, China’s first high-speed (HS) rail line, the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity High-Speed Rail, has provided a boost to local commerce, trade, tourism, and service industries in north China’s Tianjin city. According to figures released by the Tianjin Commission of Commerce, shopping accounted for almost 34 percent of the total spending by passengers who are traveling on the rail line to Tianjin.

Retail sales in Tianjin soared 21.5 percent in 2009 year on year to 243 billion yuan. In the first half of 2010, retail sales expanded by 19 percent over the same period of last year to reach 139.4 billion yuan.

Further, boosted by the rail link, foreign investment already spent by Tianjin jumped 20 percent in the first half, reaching 5.9 billion U.S. dollars.

In many other countries, similar experiences have also proved that the construction of high-speed railways is able to increase business productivity, promote tourism and broaden the regional labor market.

Furthermore, both local governments and companies will profit from real estate development near the train stations. 

The company is confident the future of its projects will be bright since China has sped up the development of its high-speed railway network. And major railway stations like the Beijing West Railway Station will become both transportation hubs and bustling trade centers in the cities, said an anonymous manager with Guangyao-Dongfang.

Post Link: http://english.cri.cn/6826/2010/09/07/1821s593300.htm