Paula Dockery
Florida senator

Florida is fast turning into an urban state and Florida has the potential to lead the way in providing the first true high speed rail (HSR) in the United States.

We are far ahead of any other state in the development of HSR and have made solid planning decisions over the past 20 years. HSR from Orlando to Tampa will offer a transportation alternative to millions of Florida residents and the 35 million travelers who fly in and out of the Orlando International Airport each year.

Much misinformation exists regarding Florida’s proposed HSR project. The arguments being made against the project are not fact-based. The facts are simple.

Argument: Capital cost overruns from the project could put Florida taxpayers on the hook for an additional $3 billion.

Fact: The private sector will pay for any cost overruns. This will be a legally binding agreement, with no risk to the taxpayers.

Argument: Ridership and revenue projections are historically overly optimistic and would likely result in ongoing subsidies that state taxpayers would have to incur, which could cost from $300 million to $575 million over 10 years.

Fact: The private sector will assume all ridership revenue risk.

Argument: If the project becomes too costly for taxpayers and is shut down, the state would have to return the $2.4 billion in federal funds to Washington.

Fact: The private sector will assume all risk for long-term operations and maintenance. The United States Department of Transportation would oversee the financial viability of the private industry and will hold it responsible financially, not the state of Florida.

These facts are from the Florida Department Transportation, a non-political entity. If government officials or citizens choose to oppose HSR, that opposition should be based on accurate information.

The United States is far behind the rest of the world in transportation innovation. For Florida, this spells opportunity. It means we can evaluate the truly cutting-edge systems of HSR from around the world and select the very best for us. Let’s not miss the opportunity to work with the private sector and be a part of innovative transportation solutions that will create 23,000 direct jobs, including a permanent facility at the Orlando International Airport and a manufacturing and assembly facility along the 81-mile rail corridor. On behalf of Florida’s 18 million residents who comprise our current and future workforce, we must make fact-based decisions.