Fresh Loaf

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama called Thursday for the country to move swiftly to a system of high-speed rail travel, saying it will relieve congestion, help clean the air and save on energy.

Appearing with Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Obama said the country cannot afford not to invest in a major upgrade to rail travel. He said he understands it necessarily will be “a long-term project” but said the time to start is now.

The president allocated $8 billion in the enormous $787 billion economic stimulus spending package for a start on establishing high-speed rail corridors nationwide.

Included on this list:

- Southeast corridor (Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Macon, Columbia, Savannah, Jacksonville)

- Gulf Coast corridor (Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Birmingham, Atlanta)

Now if only Georgia would join that Atlanta-New Orleans study commission…

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The study is needed to tap federal funding for a high-speed rail line connecting Atlanta and New Orleans.

From the Birmingham News:

In a turnaround, Alabama has agreed to pay its dues in the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission.

The state owes $120,000 in commission dues for 2008 and 2009.

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director Bill Johnson said the state stopped paying because his agency was not in the transportation business.

As the News reported last week, Georgia is not a member of the commission conducting the study. Can the state jump on board?

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

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