Why is high-speed rail stalled in Alabama?

How would you like to get to New Orleans in two hours or less? That's the promise of a high speed passenger train.

The Southern High Speed Rail Commission says a bullet train would create jobs, be more reliable and more affordable.

One ticket could cover the cost of a train ride to the airport and your flight to where you want to go.

But why isn't Alabama ready to meet its deadline to have a high speed rail by 2015?

Most of us get from here to there by bus, car. Plane or train. But imagine if trains could go a whole lot faster?

Jason Swann, a Birmingham commuter, said, “I think it's a great idea, outstanding idea.”

High speed rail, a train that can travel up to 230 miles per hour, could feasibly get you from Birmingham to Atlanta in 45 minutes or less.

“That might be a little too fast for me, but for some people, I think it might be OK,” said Jeanette Peoples who commutes in the Birmingham area.

Supporters say a high speed passenger train would create hundreds of new jobs and bring more people to Alabama.

Folks could actually live here and commute to work in Atlanta.

Europe and Asia have had these bullet trains for years. But now a push is underway to bring high speed rail to the United States, with one of the main corridors running right through Birmingham.

Gil Carmichael, a former administrator with the Federal Railroad said, “Alabama is right in the middle of it. It has already been designed in it. Alabama is sitting on one of the main high speed corridors between New York and New Orleans.”

Under the current proposal, Alabama would have an elevated rail line that runs along the right of way of Interstate 20.

Our corridor would travel from Atlanta.to Meridian, Mississippi, New Orleans, and Houston, with stops in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Anniston.

In his state of the union address in January, 2009, President Barack Obama said, “There's no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains.” The president travelled to Tampa, Florida two days later to unveil a new plan to build a high speed railway in the U.S.

As part of his recovery act, President Obama pledged $8 billion to develop high speed rail corridors throughout the country.

The bulk of that money, $2.34 billion, will go to California. Florida will also get a huge share, at $1.25 billion. But Alabama will only receive a mere $200,000.

Why? Because unlike California and Florida, which are ready to start building a high speed rail, Alabama hasn't even the necessary feasibility and environmental studies that will cost more than $7 million.

And at this point, there are no state matching funds to cover the shortfall. Alabama has plenty of money for roads and bridges, but seems to hit a roadblock when it comes to high speed rail.

Richard Finley, with the Southern High Speed Rail Commission said, “We could not work with the state of Alabama, not because I didn't want to but because they refuse to participate.”

The Alabama Constitution prohibits the use of gas tax dollars, the source of the department of transportation's revenue, for anything other than roads and bridges.

Alabama State Rep. Mary Moore, of Dist. 59 in Jefferson County said, “We need to put forth a constitutional amendment that would change the way that our transportation dollars are divided up and allocate funds to mass transit slash high speed rail.”

Richard Finley explained, “I am prepared to go with the cities on the corridor and with private investment, and leave the state out of it if we have to.”

Finley has spent the last 20 years trying to bring high speed rail to Alabama and hopes to generate the necessary funds by forming a partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the private sector, and the cities of Atlanta and Birmingham.

Birmingham’s new mayor, William Bell said, “I'm very supportive of a concept of a high speed rail in fact of all the Southeast cities. Birmingham is the last one to really come on board full fledged in support of high speed rail.”

But in this tough economy, support doesn't always translate into millions of dollars.

And Finley realizes having the state's support could keep this bullet train on the fast track. He said, “In order for us to create jobs and enhance the quality of life for all Alabamians we've got to develop alternative transportation in the state of Alabama.”

NBC13HD’s Gina Redmond contacted the governor's office three times to ask about high speed rail, but never got a call back.

Joe McInnes, director of the Alabama Department of Transportation, declined to give us a comment for this story.

Both Gov. Bob Riley and McInnes are members of the Southern High Speed Rail Commission. And McInnes admits he's never attended a commission meeting.