§ 26101. High-speed rail corridor planning
(a)
Corridor Planning Assistance.—
(b)
Eligible Activities.—
(1)
A corridor planning activity is eligible for financial assistance under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that it is necessary to establish appropriate engineering, operational, financial, environmental, or socioeconomic projections for the establishment of high-speed rail service in the corridor and that it leads toward development of a prudent financial and institutional plan for implementation of specific high-speed rail improvements, or if it is an activity described in subparagraph (M). Eligible corridor planning activities include—
(F)
coordination with State and metropolitan area transportation planning and corridor planning with other States;
(J)
identification of specific improvements to a corridor, including electrification, line straightening and other right-of-way improvements, bridge rehabilitation and replacement, use of advanced locomotives and rolling stock, ticketing, coordination with other modes of transportation, parking and other means of passenger access, track, signal, station, and other capital work, and use of intermodal terminals;
(c)
Criteria for Determining Financial Assistance.—
Selection by the Secretary of recipients of financial assistance under this section shall be based on such criteria as the Secretary considers appropriate, including—
(1)
the relationship of the corridor to the Secretary’s national high-speed ground transportation policy;
(2)
the extent to which the proposed planning focuses on systems which will achieve sustained speeds of 125 mph or greater;
(4)
the potential interconnection of the corridor with other parts of the Nation’s transportation system, including the interconnection with other countries;
(6)
whether the work to be funded will aid the efforts of State and local governments to comply with the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.);
(7)
the past and proposed financial commitments and other support of State and local governments and the private sector to the proposed high-speed rail program, including the acquisition of rolling stock;
(9)
the estimated capital cost of corridor improvements, including the cost of closing, improving, or separating highway-rail grade crossings;
(12)
the extent to which the projected revenues of the proposed high-speed rail service, along with any financial commitments of State or local governments and the private sector, are expected to cover capital costs and operating and maintenance expenses;