Governor Rick Scott standing by high-speed rail rejection, despite study touting revenues

TAMPA BAY, Florida - Nearly a year after an initial ridership analysis suggested Governor Rick Scott's criticism of high-speed rail may have been far-fetched, the full report - paid for by the state - was released, painting an even rosier picture of what rail could have done for Florida.

10 News broke the story in February 2011 that Scott broke his promise to consult an FDOT-commissioned study before making his decision to kill the billion-dollar stimulus project.  When pressed, his administration presented a controversial report from the libertarian Reason Foundation that panned all high-speed rail projects.

But even though Scott killed the project just six weeks after taking office, the study continued on.  A final version was sent to the Federal Railroad Administration in November. 

In the report, two consultants both indicated the rail project would have made profits for the state within 10 years, if not sooner.  Between 4,000 and 25,000 jobs were also predicted for the project.

READ: Florida High-Speed Rail Summary (PDF)
READ: High-Speed Rail Ridership Report (PDF)

The federal funds Florida rejected were later awarded to a HSR project in the Northeast as well as the HSR project in California.  The California project, which the Reason Foundation's report was based on, could see its cost balloon because of unforseen circumstances.

On a recent visit to Tampa, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stopped short of saying Florida would never get a high-speed rail project.  He indicated the future of rail in Florida was in the hands of the people who elect state leadership.

More Florida High speed rail coverage:
3/9/11 - Study suggests Fla. would have profited from HSR
2/17/11 - Gov. Scott breaks promise to review HSR study
2/16/11 - Gov. Scott rejects federal High Speed Rail money
1/18/11 - Florida Dems, GOP lining up in support of HSR
1/6/11- Gov. Scott weighs high-speed rail options
12/10/10 - Federal funds roll in as other states reject rail
11/10/10 - High-speed rail stops in Lakeland under scrutiny
11/9/10 - Nelson, Iorio plead with Rick Scott to support high-speed rail
10/8/10 - Election Day could derail high-speed trains
7/19/10 - Work on high-speed rail lines begin along I-4

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