Lawmakers' high-speed rail proposal off track

By: Sun Sentinel Editorial Board

On first blush, a proposal for the state to regulate high-speed rail sounds reasonable, given that this is a new type of transportation service about to launch in Florida. And though full of promise, All Aboard Florida's new Brightline service also carries new public costs as well as disruptions for communities that will never see a station, though they will see 32 new trains zipping by every day.

On closer examination, however, the proposal by lawmakers from Florida's Treasure Coast — the three counties north of Palm Beach County — appears less focused on ensuring public safety and taxpayer protections than on placing barriers before a passenger rail service expected to launch its first phase by summer's end…