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Larry Hogan’s hovering white elephant

Kevin DeGood argues that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan should prioritize cost-beneficial investments that will bring real benefits to the state over the so-called maglev train.

When you think about commuting between the District and Baltimore, what comes to mind? For most people, the answer is congestion, delays and headaches. Now imagine riding on a futuristic train that floats on a cushion of electrons and can reach speeds of more than 300 miles per hour.

In recent months, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has pushed the idea of building such a train, known as a magnetic levitation train, or maglev. Hogan rode a demonstration model on a trip to Japan.

The idea of super-fast commuting is enticing, but this proposal deserves a great deal of skepticism.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Washington Post. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Kevin DeGood

Director, Infrastructure Policy