Use of DMU technology is also much less expensive than traditional diesel locomotives pulling passenger cars. Traditional diesels have limited flexibility and really are not compatible with our urban and suburban environment. Final station costs will be developed in later stages of the rail studies. The proposal is extremely competitive with road costs. The rail system could be brought on line for a fraction of the cost and fraction of time as any comparable road or interstate improvement project.
Interstate projects are vastly more expensive and time consuming.
At present funding rates, it will take almost 40 years to reconstruct the Tampa Interstate system. The proposed rail system will not replace future demands on roads, but it may shift the priorities in terms of the specific road projects built and reduce the amount of future capacity required in some corridors. What it will do is provide viable alternatives to being stuck in traffic in important transportation corridors many years earlier than could be expected through roadway expansion. We are in active negotiations with CSX regarding the former. Operating costs would increase as a function of train frequency.