Regular Session 2017-2018 House Resolution 1057 P.N. 4018

CORRECTIVE REPRINT

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3997

PRINTER'S NO. 4018

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

1057

Session of

2018

INTRODUCED BY KAUFER, COOK, PICKETT, READSHAW, MILLARD, NEILSON,

RADER AND DALEY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

A RESOLUTION

Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to

conduct a study for the potential of a hyperloop system that

would run from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania, with a stop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as

well as a northeast extension that would operate between

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton,

Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, People have been dreaming of high-speed travel in

tubes, including in vacuum, for more than a century; and

WHEREAS, Elon Musk, the CEO of the aerospace firm SpaceX, as

well as Tesla, first described his idea for the futuristic

transportation system in August 2013; and

WHEREAS, The concept of a hyperloop seemed hypothetical at

the time, but, a handful of states and firms are currently

competing to develop the necessary technologies and to study the

feasibility of this system; and

WHEREAS, While it is understood that many engineering and

regulatory hurdles must be addressed before the technology is

ready for paying customers, the Commonwealth cannot stand idly

by as surrounding states put resources toward making this

hypothetical concept a reality; and

WHEREAS, In 2018, transportation agencies in the Columbus,

Ohio, region and in Illinois announced they would cosponsor a

$1.2 million study of a hyperloop connecting Columbus, Ohio, to

Chicago, Illinois, thus cutting the 350-mile journey to just 30

minutes; and

WHEREAS, The hyperloop would also connect Columbus, Ohio, to

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, It is the fourth public study of the transportation

mode to be recently undertaken; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, Elon Musk, founder of The Boring Company,

announced that his company received verbal government approval

to build a hyperloop connecting New York City, New York, to

Washington, DC, with a projected travel time of 29 minutes and

planned stops in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore,

Maryland; and

WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has a rich history in regards to

transportation; and

WHEREAS, In 1791, the General Assembly approved a Statewide

transportation plan, and one year later created the Philadelphia

and Lancaster Turnpike Road Company; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Turnpike officially entered service

in 1940 as the first of its kind, spanning just 160 miles from

Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to Irwin, Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, In 2018, the Pennsylvania Turnpike spans 552 miles,

serves an average of 550,000 motorists a day traveling a total

of 5.7 billion miles annually; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Railroad also played a significant

role in the development of this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Railroad was established and

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headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1846, and was

the largest railroad by traffic and revenue in the United States

for the first half of the 20th century; and

WHEREAS, At one time, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the

largest publicly traded corporation in the world, with a budget

larger than that of the United States Government and a workforce

of about 250,000 individuals; and

WHEREAS, There has not been a major new form of

transportation in 100 years, especially one that is ultrafast,

on demand, direct, emission-free, energy-efficient and quiet,

and has a smaller footprint than other high-speed transportation

modes; and

WHEREAS, A growing global economy requires faster, cheaper,

safer and more efficient transportation methods which tend to be

more of a mix of expensive, slow and environmentally harmful;

and

WHEREAS, These emergent transportation systems need to be

studied to fully understand the capabilities and feasibility of

each; and

WHEREAS, Hyperloop transportation has the capability to move

freight and people quickly, safely, on demand and direct from

origin to destination at two to three times faster than high-

speed rail and magnetic levitation trains and 10 to 15 times

faster than traditional rail via electric propulsion through a

low pressure tube; and

WHEREAS, The hyperloop vehicle floats above the track using

magnetic levitation and glides for long distances due to ultra-

low aerodynamic drag; and

WHEREAS, Pods accelerate until they reach a speed where they

levitate, like a boat moving along the water; and

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WHEREAS, A series of vacuum pumps removes much of the tube's

air, to the point where the atmosphere is similar to being

200,000 feet above sea level; and

WHEREAS, While traditional trains are limited by friction,

both against the air ahead and the ground beneath, hyperloop

drastically reduces friction in both of these areas; and

WHEREAS, Companies such as Virgin Hyperloop One and Hyperloop

Transportation Technologies have undertaken the challenge of

turning a hyperloop into a reality; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has an opportunity to further

benefit from hyperloop technology by leveraging corporate and

institutional talent and resources to participate in the

research and development of the technology, and the supply chain

needed to produce and construct hyperloop corridors; therefore

be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize

Pennsylvania's role as a leader in the field of transportation

and direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to

authorize to contract with an independent, third party which is

currently involved in a similar study; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the

Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study for

the potential of a hyperloop system that would run from

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a

stop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as well as a northeast

extension that would operate between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,

and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this contracted entity be a fully integrated

professional and technical service firm positioned to design,

build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the

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world for public and private sectors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

or its contractor be authorized to assemble and subcontract with

academic institutions in this Commonwealth that are

acknowledged, recognized and capable leaders within the

transportation industry; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the study examine the potential for a

hyperloop system that would run from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,

to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a stop in Harrisburg,

Pennsylvania, as well as a northeast extension that would

operate between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Wilkes-

Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania, while considering the geographical

barriers to the most optimal route; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the study identify new economic and social

opportunities for companies and citizens in this Commonwealth;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That the study develop findings and recommendations

on the potential impact that a hyperloop system would have on

the established rail and aviation systems throughout this

Commonwealth; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the House

of Representatives within 18 months of the adoption of this

resolution.

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