Some key politicians attended a Florida high speed rail update today in Tampa, in which an overview was given of the progress of the Tampa to Orlando rail project.
“The weight is great on our shoulders to do it right,” said Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. She explained the use of the multi-modal high speed rail station that is expected to be built in downtown Tampa. The third floor of the station would be dedicated to high speed rail, the second for light rail and the first for buses and local trolleys. She explained that the purpose of having all forms of transport at one station is to provide better access to the surrounding areas that high speed rail cannot access. “We think it’s the best system for downtown,” the Tampa Mayor said.
Iorio expressed disinterest in connecting travelers to the Tampa International Airport. “I think that would be a terrible mistake,” Iorio said. “We already have a plan for light rail to go to our airport.”
America’s first high speed rail line will link downtown Tampa to the Orlando International Airport, with stops in between including a station in Polk County , Disney, and an Orange County Convention Center multi-modal station. The trains will run at approximately 168 mph making travel time, including stops, under an hour. There may also be a non-stop route from Tampa to Orlando.
This article appears in Jul 15-21, 2010.