A $1.25-billion grant to build a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando is being called a lifeline for Florida jobs.

President Obama announced the grant recently during a speaking event at the University of Tampa. It’s part of an $8-billion initiative to build an intercity high-speed passenger rail service like ones operating in Europe and Japan. Supporters such as U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Miami) applaud the effort to reduce traffic on Interstate 4 through clean energy transportation. He adds, the largest benefit of high-speed rail will be jobs for Floridians.

“You look at 20,000 plus jobs; you look at 600-plus permanent jobs. I think it’s a great day for the state of Florida. This is the biggest investment in the Central Florida area since the creation of Walt Disney World.”

Wilma McKay, executive director of the Florida Association for Community Action, says it’s a perfect fit. With state’s nearly 12-percent unemployment rate, a large number of the people seeking services from her agencies have never needed help before. Creating jobs will get families back on their feet, she says.

“You can’t have economic security; you can’t have self-sufficiency; you can’t have self-reliance; you can’t have any of those things without a job – without income.”

Investing in the rail service and other programs that create jobs may be costly, adds McKay, but it will be less expensive in the long run.

“We’ve got to step out and invest in our future. Progress is not free; we would have to pay for it, but I think the cost would be greater if we don’t take positive steps now.”

The money will be used to build a system with trains that will average 168 miles an hour – reducing travel time between Tampa and Orlando to less than an hour, compared to around 90 minutes by car.

Many hope such high-speed trains in the future will link with Tampa and Fort Myers, Miami, and Jacksonville.