Obama calls for high-speed rail system to cut congestion

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced a new U.S. push to transform travel in the U.S. by creating high-speed rail lines between major cities.

The plan is aimed at reducing dependence on road vehicles and planes, reducing congestion and spurring economic development, White House officials say.

The plan identifies $8 billion provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, plus $1 billion a year for five years requested in the federal budget, as a down payment to jump-start what will primarily be a stat-of-the-art passenger rail system.

A report identifies 10 high-speed rail corridors as potential recipients of federal funding: California, Pacific Northwest, South Central, Gulf Coast, Chicago Hub Network, Florida, Southeast, Keystone, Empire and Northern New England.

Said Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood: "We simply can’t build the economy of the future on the transportation networks of the past."