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According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data, the combined populations of the major Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA) for the NEC, i.e. Boston, New York, etc. was 37.8 million.  The average growth of the population for these areas between 2000 and 2010 was 6.8 per cent. The DC area grew at 16.4 per cent. It was a statistical outlier.  If it is backed out of the calculations, the average growth in the NEC population between 2000 and 2010 was approximately 4.5 per cent.   The population of the major SMSAs in Texas, i.e. Austin, DFW, Houston, and San Antonio, was 16.1 million in 2010.  Between 2000 and 2010 these populations grew at an average rate of 28.0 per cent, which is more than four times the growth rate of the NEC when DC is included and more than six time greater when the DC outlier is removed.   Regression analysis for the Texas Triangle, which is anchored by the Texas SMSAs, as well as others around the country, show that these SMSAs are likely to continue growing at a greater rate than the SMSAs in the NEC.   Given the dramatic population increases in other potential corridors, as well as the fact that Amtrak has the lion's share of the commercial air/rail traffic between Boston and NYC, as well as NYC and Washington, why should the national government put more money into the NEC whilst short changing most of the nation's other corridors or potential corridors?  NextGen is likely to go a long way in relieving the air traffic congestion in the NY Terminal Area, which is the major air traffic stumbling block in the U.S.  Moreover, if traffic demands warranted it, the airlines could increase the capacities of the airplanes on the Boston to DC runs, without any significant increase in infrastructure capacity, by using larger airplanes. This is what Qantas has done on the Melbourne to Sydney run. It is using Boeing 767s to meet the demand. I understand that it also plans to introduce Airbus A330s on this run. I don't believe that Boardman has made a compelling case for another $400 billion for the NEC, which would be nearly double the estimated cost of the California High Speed Rail Project (both numbers include estimated debt service costs).
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