[Olog-hai]

Well, Hogan sure outdid Jerry Brown and California HSR in per-mile costs. By about 350 percent.

[DoughtyOne]

Let me guess, it’s all to be paid for with Gas Tax dollars.

Then they’ll tell the public they don’t take in enough gas taxes to support highway upkeep.

A—holes!

[headstamp 2]

Dependable transportation to move skid row criminals to the suburbs.

For better pickings.

[Iron Munro]

state officials say will rejuvenate older communities and transform a 16-mile swath of the Washington suburbs.

Providing faster and more comfortable transportation to and from target rich areas for muggers and rapers.

[eyeamok]

19th century technology to the rescue.

[MrBambaLaMamba]

What's old is new again.

[fruser1]

I’m sure it’ll be a total flop.

What makes the price even more ridiculous is that there aren’t any tunnels. It’s low speed too. Should be able to do it for a fraction.

Also no parking lots at stations, so don’t expect much actual use. No real reason for someone to jump from metro to a slower line. Driving would probably be half time.

[rllngrk33]

$5.6 billion is just the starting point. Unless it's a firm fixed price contract, look for the price to at least triple before the first train rolls.

Pay offs to unions, environmentalists, politicians, community organizations, and other assorted "stakeholders" ain't cheap.

[Mark was here]

It is only $5524 per inch!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

So, will Maryland really pay only around $100 million into this project?

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[cyclotic]

I’m no mathmagician, but at 59000 riders a day times 25 years times $2 per ride fare, that comes out to $1,084,050,000 in revenue vs a cost of $5,600,000,000.

By Federal law, light rail cars have a maximum usable lifespan of 25 years and must be replaced.

I assume the $5.6bb cost does not include operation and maintenance costs.

Actual cost is $5.16 per ride assuming full ridership 265 days a year from day one.

I’m disappointed in Hogan. Franchot seems to show occasional flashes of sanity, but his comment that millenials will flock to Maryland to ride the trains is the height of liberal insanity.