Latest news with #NortheastMaglev
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wariness over maglev is not surprising, but don't make up your mind yet
Gov. Wes Moore (D) watches a passing high-speed maglev train on April 12, 2025, during a trade mission to Japan. (Photo by Ken Katsurayama/Governor's Office) As the president and chief operating officer of Northeast Maglev, I can appreciate why there remains a degree of skepticism about the future of high-speed rail in Maryland. At this time, we do not have high speed rail anywhere in America. While recent polls have revealed widespread majority public support for Maglev project throughout Maryland, I also respect the concern that exists within certain communities about the basic characteristics of this project – from routing specifics, potential for environmental impacts, to the perceived, but unfounded concern of disruption to local homes and businesses (The high cost of high speed: Why SCMaglev is not the answer – Maryland Matters) These are natural questions that accompany any new road or transit project, and they are particularly understandable in a project of this size and magnitude. Throw in the fact that this would be the first project of its kind in North America – that is, a rail project powered by green energy, floating on air via magnetic levitation, and traveling at a speed of 311 mph – it is easy to see why this proposal has inspired healthy discussion and debate. Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@ We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of projects like these before allowing them to proceed. Our federal and state governments engage local communities in open forums, provide transparent information about the project, answer questions, and allow adequate time for public comment. It is a thorough and time-consuming process, and deservedly so. The Northeast Maglev project will change the way Marylanders live, work and travel. It will redefine the economy of our state and those along the eastern seaboard. It will transform the manner in which Americans perceive public transportation. For these reasons, and for the preservation of the special quality of historic communities and neighborhoods throughout the region, it is imperative that we get this right. Until the environmental review process has been completed, with one preferred alignment designated by the Federal Railroad Administration, and while the majority of Marylanders support the construction of the project, some members of our community will remain uncertain, and a project that will make life so much better for millions will remain on the 'slow train' to completion. Here is what we know. The Northeast Maglev project, when built, will make it possible for people to travel from Washington to Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Baltimore in 15 minutes, and from Washington to New York in just one hour, including all the cities and airports in between. In so doing, it will substantially relieve traffic gridlock, improve the environment, reduce air pollution, create jobs and positively impact people's lives in one of the most congested regions of our country. This project has never asked for state taxpayer money; in fact, it has paid all matching funds to the federal government that the state would have had to pay to even study a project like this. It will be built with a combination of private investment, federal loan funding programs and international financing. We know, based on the NEPA studies, that this project will create about 123,000 construction-related jobs, 38,000 professional jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs, while adding $8.8 billion in wages and salaries to the Maryland region's economy. It will also remove 16 million cars from our clogged highways between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., which not only improves our quality of life but also reduces greenhouse gases in our state. Studies have shown that Marylanders lose over 100 hours a year stuck in traffic, and this project will go a long way to help alleviate this. It is my hope that our federal and state governments can come together and finish the environmental review process. Only by doing so can we begin to provide definitive answers and a timetable that the public deserves with a final single alignment, and move toward the completion of a project our state so urgently needs.
Japan Times
14-04-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Maryland governor talks trains and trade while in Japan
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is keen on high-speed rail and lukewarm on tariffs, he said during an interview in Tokyo on Sunday, the day after a visit to the Yamanashi Maglev Test Track. 'We're big believers in transportation assets and being able to provide consistent and fast options for people to be able to go from where they live to where they work,' Moore told The Japan Times on the second day of a four-day trade and investment mission to Japan. The governor explained that technology from Japan can help in the development of the Northeast Maglev in the United States. If completed, the proposed magnetic levitation train line will reduce rail travel time between New York and Washington from three hours to just an hour. The first leg of the project will connect Maryland's Baltimore and Washington, and take the travel time between the two cities down to 15 minutes from the current fastest option, which takes 37 minutes. While in Yamanashi, Moore received a briefing and took a ride on the Central Japan Railway maglev, which is run on a test track now and will eventually be used commercially for the Chuo Shinkansen. Moore will be in Japan until Tuesday and then head to South Korea for a two-day visit. The Northeast Maglev — if realized — would be a 'staggering change' for transportation in the United States, Moore said. A project of such scale won't be easy, he conceded. Moves to initiate the project started a decade ago, and the work has to be done in concert with the federal government. Identifying the priorities of the current U.S. administration, according to Moore, is still a work in progress. The governor said his state has been clear about its interest in continuing to explore the feasibility of the Northeast Maglev, as well as pushing for an alignment of priorities with the federal government. 'If we can transform communities and transform an economy at the same time by increasing transportation assets into that community, it's something that I think is well worth the exploration,' he said. Areas of cooperation between Japan and Maryland go beyond transportation, and range from agriculture to quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Moore said the state hopes to continue to grow this productive business relationship. Japan is one of Maryland's largest international trade partners, with trade between the two totaling $6.1 billion in 2023, according to Maryland's Department of Commerce. Japan is expected to be hard hit by President Donald Trump's new tariffs, which have been levied on almost all goods exported to the United States. Automobiles, steel and aluminum products have been hit especially hard. Moore takes a test ride at the Yamanashi Maglev Test Track in Ogatayama, Yamanashi Prefecture. | The Office of Gov. Wes Moore Maryland farmers and port workers are on the front line bearing the cost of the trade war, said Moore. 'We've seen how erratic tariff policies and trade wars will have an impact on our import-export market, which is a huge market for the state of Maryland that we rely on,' Moore said. 'That's not smart economic policy, because you're hurting people who can least afford to be hurt.' Tariffs are only effective when used as a targeted tool, Moore added. 'If a tool is not used smartly and sparingly, it's no longer a tool. Now, it's just a weapon.' Moore said his state aims to 'control the things that we can control,' and enhance the business environment by offering consistency and predictability. One of the ways is to actively address regulatory and permitting challenges businesses face. 'What we're looking for — and I think it's the same thing that business leaders look for — is just an understanding of where we are and where we're going,' Moore said. 'I think it is about consistency and stability. And I think that's what the state of Maryland is really hoping to offer.'
CBS News
13-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Governor Moore explores future of transportation technology in Japan
Maryland Governor Wes Moore began his first international trade and investment endeavors by visiting Ogatayama, Japan, for a test ride on the world's fastest train. On Saturday morning, a briefing between Japanese and Maryland leaders was conducted before Moore rode the Maglev, a high-speed transportation technology. According to a press release from the Mayor's Office, the technology uses magnetic fields to lift and propel trains without direct contact with train tracks. Without the friction caused when train wheels touch their tracks, the train can essentially levitate, creating a smoother, faster experience. The train is reportedly able to reach speeds of 370 miles per hour in some models. This would be able to transport passengers from Baltimore to New York in just one hour or a ride from Washington D.C. to Baltimore in only 15 minutes. "As we embark on our first international trade mission, we're focused both on industries and technology of the future, and where Maryland has unique advantages to compete and win," Gov. Moore stated in the release. "Strong public transportation infrastructure is key to connecting Marylanders from where they live to where opportunity lies. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to experience this incredible technology in person and are excited to learn more about its potential." The Maglev could potentially boost Maryland's economy, which has been relatively stagnant for nearly a decade. "With the potential to create over 160,000 jobs, to reduce car traffic and air emissions, the Maglev train would place Baltimore square in the center of the dynamic Northeast Corridor," Wayne Rogers, Northeast Maglev Chair, said. Currently, Maryland lawmakers face a budget outlook worse than during the Great Recession in 2008-2009, with a $2.7B budget deficit for the next budget year, which begins July 1, 2025. However, quantum physics and computing, used to develop the Maglev, could spark change. In January, Wes Moore announced that he would be positioning Maryland to become a global leader in quantum information science and technology. "Quantum has the potential to transform every part of our economy and society, from national security to health care," Gov. Moore said. Essentially, quantum physics studies how atoms and light work, while quantum computing uses quantum physics to solve problems that regular computers, even the fastest ones, can't solve. In a 2023 60 Minutes report , CBS News broke down what exactly quantum computing is and how it could revolutionize the future.
