There are the obvious benefits of decreasing regional highway traffic and helping to ease commutes, but a project of this size will also be hugely beneficial to local and regional economies. Thousands of new high-tech and construction jobs, educational opportunities, as well as all of the jobs associated with local businesses.
According to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the Texas Central high speed rail project between Dallas and Houston, “Property assessment values within a half-mile of the proposed stations would increase between $71.4 million and $161.1 million”. It may seem obvious that property in close proximity to our stations would become more valuable, but this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg in terms of the local and regional economies. A project of this size will bring educational opportunities, thousands of jobs, supporting industries and businesses, as well as tourism and a sense of national pride.
A construction project of this size is going to require a huge number of skilled construction workers. Amassing this number of workers requires that we develop and initiate educational and training programs to give local youth the opportunity to pursue SCMAGLEV related careers. We’ve recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the North American Building Trades Unions to develop the skilled labor needed for future construction. We’re also working with local schools and universities to develop the programs and training needed for related new era technology careers.
Construction and operation of the SCMAGLEV will result in high demand for related jobs in a variety of sectors.
Construction
Logistics
Assembly
Planning & Supervision
Engineering
Software
Electrical & Mechanical
Fire, Life, Safety
Maintenance
Inspection
Infrastructure
Testing
Operations
Operators
On-Board Services
Systems Analysis
Stations
Ticketing
Cleaning
Security
Facilities
Yard Management
Rail Control Center
Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
Beyond construction and operations, there will be demand for thousands of jobs in supporting and related industries – think hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, retail, intermodal transportation integration, and tourism!
Bringing the world’s fastest and most technologically advanced train to the region will also bring thousands of rail, transportation, and technology fans here to see and ride the train. A large scale infrastructure project of this magnitude will bring a sense of national pride to the region – the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the original development of the Interstate Highway System or the US Space Program.
Once built, the SCMAGLEV will, in effect, redefine the geographic size of the Northeast Corridor – making it possible to live and work in areas that were once too distant to consider. Imagine living in Baltimore and working in Philadelphia or New York, or living in New York and working in Washington DC. Access to safe, high-speed, efficient transportation, like the SCMAGLEV will connect the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast Corridor – changing the dynamics of how and where we live.
