The Maglev train is in its next development stage for the Washington, D.C., area.
Delegate Ned Carey (D-D31) said the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) are currently in the midst of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement on Maglev. The current routes for construction are down from an original six to two. Carey added that Maglev, a train that uses magnetic levitation to reach speeds in excess of 300 mph, would not directly impact the Brooklyn Park area in terms of its proposed routes between Washington, D.C., and New York City. The train would travel underground with two stops proposed for Baltimore and BWI Thurgood Marshall airport. It would travel between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., in an estimated 15 minutes. The problem with the train, however, is the impact it could potentially have on local communities, Carey said.For the cost of building this train, both the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WTAMA) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) would be funded through 2024 without asking taxpayers or riders to pay a penny.
At this point, there is estimated project cost of between $10 billion and $15 billion, which has been compared to the building of a new four-lane highway between D.C. and Baltimore. Although the proposed Maglev train doesn't have a precise route yet, the routes under consideration are all approximately 35 miles long. That means that the Maglev would cost about $420 million per mile. Commuters in D.C., who have been squeezed by the WMATA with fare increases and service cuts in the past two years, would certainly benefit. A functional subway system in the nation's capital would serve more people than a super-expensive train between downtown D.C and downtown Baltimore. Maglev trains are already used in Japan ,and Japanese companies would be well-positioned to bid on this project, if it gets that far.