By Doug Draper
Ontario Transportation Jim Bradley says he’s willing to work with Niagara’s regional government in helping a coalition in the State of New York win federal stimulus funding to bring a high-speed rail system to the greater Niagara area.
“We are interested in helping the region with this,” said Bradley, adding in an interview with Niagara At Large that he’s prepared to commit some staff time from his ministry to helping Niagara regional officials in Ontario support the New York bid.
“Yes to that,” Bradley, who is also an MPP for the St. Catharines riding added. “Top notch.”
Those words should come as good news to regional staff in Niagara, Ont. and to representatives of numerous municipalities, businesses and the State of New York. Recently, representatives for a New York coalition lobbying for a high-speed rail system running from Manhattan, and up the Hudson River valley to Albany, then eastward to Buffalo, made a presentation to the regional council in Niagara, Ont. and were greeted approval for their efforts.
Regional officials then said it is important to get the province on side. New York State officials have said the same thing, adding that a signal from Ontario that it would be interested in extending the rail link through Niagara to the greater Toronto area would make their case for federal stimulus money all the more stronger.
Niagara At Large 
There is so much promise in this I can’t believe it is not already under way.
For over a decade an incredible amount of enrgy and money has poured into a bottomless pit call the Peace Bridge Study. If that same amount of money had been spent on a US/Canadian North South Traffic study I am sure we would now see a rail corridor and additional bridges at Queenston that would serve the future needs of both nations a lot more than trying to stuff an overwhelming structure and its traffic into a tiny corner of an established urban area.
Many groups in New York stand ready to launch and support such an effort.
Mr Bradley is to be congratulated.
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