Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is convinced that building a bullet train that connects Maryland and Washington, D.C. is the next best solution to giving the state's business climate a boost. The Washington Post reported that Hogan recently visited a test site in Japan that simulated what a 15-minute trip from Baltimore to the District would be like.
The bullet train, known as the Shinkansen, uses a magnetic levitation, or maglev, technology that is able to reach up to 603 kilometers per hour. The train doesn't need a driver, and, according to The Washington Post, the train is much, much safer because of that.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is offering $5 billion in financial backing on the 40-mile maglev line that could cost up to $10 billion. The remainder of the funds would need to be raised from public and private sources. Hogan hasn't yet released to the public any information on the specifics of the financing deal.
Abe has also proposed to President Barack Obama the potential for building a maglev line from Los Angeles to San Francisco, from Dallas to Houston, and from New York to Washington, D.C. The Japanese Prime Minister described the offering as a "symbol of Japan-U.S. cooperation" with a train that is "symbolic of safety and peace of mind."
· In Japan, Md. governor is wowed by super-fast trains — with big price tags [The Washington Post]
· Japan Wants to Spend $5B on a D.C.-Baltimore Bullet Train [Curbed DC]