Study Examines Economic Impacts of Midwest High Speed Rail

Published
April 28th, 2011- EDR Group examined the economic analysis of a high speed rail system that would serve all major metropolitan areas within 350 to 450 miles of Chicago, for a Midwest High Speed Rail Association study that was released today.

The research for the study, entitled  "The Economic Impacts of High Speed Rail: Transforming the Midwest," was performed by AECOM and EDR Group for the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. 

The region involved in this study would be served by a four-spoke network, with Chicago at the center of corridors connecting to Cleveland/Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Trains would operate at 220-mph on dedicated track with no grade crossings.  The study was conducted for the purpose of promoting understanding of the kinds of infrastructure investments, High speed rail (HSR)-oriented development potential, and supportive transportation services required to achieve multimodal integrated HSR transportation systems in core metropolitan centers in the US.  It describes the steps needed to make this vision a reality and the potential economic benefits for each of the other cities on the system and the region as a whole -- while illustrating how high-speed rail could help to transform economies of the Midwest.

Click Here to read the press release

Click Here to read the executive summary of the report

Click Here to read the technical report

Click Here to read the 4/28/11 Chicago Tribune article 

Click Here to read the 5/23/11 CBS Chicago story

You can also read about the 2010 high speed rail study EDR Group conducted for the US Conference of Mayors by clicking here