U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $235 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars for high-speed rail projects in California, North Carolina, Ohio and Maryland.

“President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in the United States,” said Secretary LaHood. “This undertaking will not only create good jobs and reinvigorate our manufacturing base, it’s also going to relieve congestion on our roadways and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

The California High Speed Rail Authority received $194 million preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for 520 miles of its high-speed rail corridor.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation received $17 million to improve rail stations between Charlotte and Raleigh.

The Ohio Department of Transportation received $14.9 million for preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for the 3-C corridor, which connects Cincinnati through Dayton, Columbus to Cleveland.

The Maryland Department of Transportation received $9.4 million for improvements to the BWI rail station at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport.

“We are making substantial progress in providing funds to states so they may start construction projects or advance their necessary planning,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “We are immediately put people to work while making long term infrastructure improvements which will change the way we travel in the United States.”