Last week, as my car idled on I-96 in stand-still traffic, my mind began to wander. I thought about my recent trip to Spain, where I was studying abroad just two weeks prior. Strangely enough, in my daydream, it was not untouched beaches, fresh seafood paella or late-night club outings that I thought of. It was public transportation. At this moment, bumper to bumper in rush hour traffic, I yearned for the trains.
Even before my European travels, public transportation had taken up significant real estate in my brain. When thinking about other global examples of infrastructure, whether the bullet trains in Japan or the vast system of trains connecting major cities across Europe, I wondered why America lags so far behind. Convenience aside, constructing more public transportation also seems like the most environmentally responsible thing to do. As climate change disaster looms and President Joe Biden’s promises of carbon neutrality feel impossibly far away, a greater reliance on public transportation could be our best route to alleviate the crisis. With this in mind, the United States must prioritize and invest in a national high-speed rail system, ensuring a greener and more connected future.
As of right now, there are no high-speed (above 155 mph) trains currently running in the U.S. Amtrak, however, plans to begin running high-speed trains on its Northeast Corridor, connecting Boston to Washington D.C. later this year. But this may not be realistic, as this project has already experienced several delays. This unfortunately is the only project that will be coming into fruition in the near future because all other major high-speed rail plans lack either necessary funding or initiative.
High-speed railways in this country have stalled because they’re costly. President Biden has made some effort to fund transit initiatives, but these contributions appear inconsequential. In December, the Biden administration allocated $8.2 billion to fund passenger rail projects. He also allocated $3 billion to the Brightline Rail, a high-speed train system set to be built in California. One problem: This project is estimated to cost over $128 billion. Yes, Biden is chipping away at this project, but very, very slowly.
In 2021, the U.S. allocated $1.2 trillion toward transportation and infrastructure spending. We should use that money to expand and update our passenger rail system. No more chipping away. Other countries have proven that this endeavor is both possible and worthwhile.
Two of the most obvious benefits are convenience and efficiency. I’ll admit that I became passionate about this subject for completely self-interested reasons. I don’t like traffic. I don’t like driving for hours when I could be comfortably reading a book. I don’t like to spend time waiting to pass through airport security. High-speed rails could revolutionize the way we travel between cities that are 200 to 600 miles apart. A trip from Chicago to St. Louis, which would usually take nearly five hours by car, would take only two by train.
High-speed trains would not only benefit those of us who travel frequently, but would serve all of our best interests. This change in infrastructure would have a significant beneficial impact on our environment. The United States is infamously car-dependent; transportation is currently the largest source of planet-warming gasses in the United States, releasing 28 percent of U.S. carbon emissions. We can, and should, change that.
Data shows that high-speed trains emit only a fraction of the carbon dioxide that car or plane travel does, as they are much more energy efficient and can garner power from renewable sources.
Environmentalists and policymakers are constantly looking for ways to engage the public and get it to reduce their carbon footprint. Unlike other strategies to be more eco-conscious, like turning off the light when you leave a room, eating less beef or trying to compost, high-speed rail is something people will want to actively participate in. For most people, excitement and carbon emission reduction rarely appear in the same sentence. Legislators and environmentalists should harness this opportunity.
The time for the federal government to seriously invest in our infrastructure is now. Other countries serve as examples of what is possible. In 2008, China began the seemingly impossible task of building what would be the world’s longest high-speed rail network. Since then, they’ve experienced reductions in pollution, traffic and cost of living, as well as general improvement in quality of life. We should follow in their tracks.
Laura Hurlburt is an Opinion columnist who writes about digital trends, campus culture, and politics. She can be reached at laurhurl@umich.edu.
The post Catch up, America: The case for high speed rail appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
Leave a Reply