Statement by CARE FL Chairman Regarding Senate Transportation Committee’s Passage of High Speed Rail Safety Act

The Florida Senate Transportation Committee today passed Senate Bill 572 by Senator Debbie Mayfield, which establishes the Florida High Speed Passenger Rail Safety Act.
Brent Hanlon, chairman of Citizens Against Rail Expansion in Florida (CARE FL), released the following statement regarding the committee’s passage of the bill.
“Today’s vote by the Senate Transportation Committee demonstrates the commitment our elected leaders have to the safety and well-being of Florida residents and to the taxpayers.
“Residents of the Treasure Coast region have repeatedly expressed concerns about the ill-conceived All Aboard Florida rail project that will allow 32 trains to crisscross through pedestrian communities at high rates of speed. How can we expect school children, pedestrians, motorists and first responders to navigate through all this additional high-speed rail traffic?
“Sen. Mayfield’s proposal is desperately needed because AAF and its leaders have fought the residents of our community every step of the way by not only rejecting our safety concerns and repeated requests for the implementation of safety measures, but by also shifting the costs of any necessary safety upgrades to the taxpayers.
“According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there have been 48 rail related deaths in Florida this year. And more than half of those deaths occurred in South Florida where they have both freight and passenger rail. There is currently no law or regulation governing high speed rail safety in our state.
“We thank Senator Mayfield for her unwavering commitment to safety and thank the members of the Senate Transportation Committee for hearing our concerns.”