The Northeast High Speed Rail Coalition wants speedier progress on its proposed high speed rail from Boston to NYC. First introduced in 2021, the idea’s been faced with resistance from government officials, yet citizens eagerly await its adoption. High speed rails and bullet trains are no stranger to this earth, with dozens of countries such as Japan and China using them for decades.
The high speed rail from Boston to NYC would dramatically slash commute time from over four hours to approximately 90-100 minutes. The proposal entails digging up a 16-mile tunnel beneath Long Island Sound. The tunnel would connect Port Jefferson, New York to Milford, Connecticut, where plenty of the hesitation exists.
Northeast High Speed Rail Coalition member, Bob Yaro, notes Connecticut officials find the development poses many challenges. Other hesitations include the impact of the buildout on sea life of Long Island Sound such as the dolphins, seals, and whales.
Yet the North Atlantic Rail isn’t an impossible concept, with over 20 countries operating robust high speed railways today. China, which operates the world’s longest high speed rail, operates over 28,000 miles of tracks and plans to grow to 43,000 in the next 11 years. To put that into perspective, Boston and Manhattan lie only 213 miles from each other.
To qualify as a high speed rail, trains must travel greater than 125 miles-per-hour. The current train from Boston to NYC travels at only about 65 miles-per-hour. The proposed train would travel between 185-200-miles-per-hour.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and federal funds allocated to high speed railways on America’s West Coast provide hope for this long-anticipated East Coast railway. This train would require a mix of upgrading existing tracks, building new ones, and a humble budget of $50 million. Many argue that budget could near double during construction.
Northeast High Speed Rail Coalition notes they hope to begin construction by 2028. The project would bring thousands of new jobs to the East Coast and revolutionize travel between Boston and NYC. The coalition is rolling forward full steam ahead and plans to host an official proposal kickoff event in September 2024.