Baltimore-Washington D.C. Maglev

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The Baltimore-Washington D.C. Maglev project is a proposal from the United States cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C. to build a 39.8 mile (64 km) maglev train system between their respective central business districts. The maglev was originally intended to help Baltimore and Washington win the bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The maglev would connect Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the two cities.

[edit] Proposed construction and progress of project

Proposed stations for the bid include Hilton Baltimore, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Union Station in Washington D.C.[1] The construction plans for the Hilton Baltimore allocate a specific amount of space underground for a maglev station. A maglev would have made the transportation infrastructure of the two cities more appealing to to the United States Olympic Committee. The cities lost in their joint 2012 Olympic bid; however, representatives from the two cities have stated that they are interested in a joint bid for the 2016 Olympics.

The project received federal approval for a continued funding study in January 2001. The project had a DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) and public hearings were scheduled for December 8-16, 2003 and online comments were being accepted until January 30, 2004. The project is still in planning stages and has not received any approval beyond funding study. The project hit legislative snags in 2004, 2005, and 2006.

Funding for the project was uncertain as of November 2006. Maryland Senate Bill (SB508) passed in 2004, forbids the state spending any money from any source for the purpose of studying, developing or constructing a maglev system in the state.[2]

The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2005, allows the the Department of Transportation to spend up to $1,000,000 in federal funds for the purpose of completing a final environmental impact statement on a magnetic levitation transportation (MAGLEV) system. The state refusal to fund the system may makes it difficult for Baltimore to get federal approval for construction. Also in 2005 the project had not completed a final environmental impact statement to send to the federal government. [3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Maglev Route. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
  2. ^ Senate Bill 508. Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
  3. ^ Transportation. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.

[edit] Sources

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