Obama for High-Speed Rail in the U.S.

LA World Travel Examiner: A new era in U.S. train travel––Obama pushes for high-speed rail

Friday, April 17, President Barack Obama released a strategic plan outlining his vision for high-speed rail lines from city to city, reducing dependence on cars and planes, boosting the economy and the protection of the environment. The federal budget requests $8 billion as a down payment to jump-start the plan, envisioning a world-class passenger rail system that will set the direction of transportation policy for the future. By late summer, the Federal Railroad Administration will approve the first round of grants for state and local applicants and guide them in the implementation of the plan.

Potential recipients of federal funding for high-speed rail lines include California, Pacific Northwest, South Central, Gulf Coast, Chicago Hub Network, Florida, Southeast, Keystone, Empire and Northern New England.

The grants are very competitive to encourage local communities to plan and develop their own high-speed rail potential. The plan identifies two types of projects for funding:

1. The creation of new corridors for world-class high-speed rail, similar to systems in Europe and Japan.
2. Making train service along existing rail lines faster.

In his speech, President Obama voiced his belief that high-speed rail will revolutionize the way America travels. Not only that, but it promises to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, lower harmful carbon emissions, foster economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and increase travel in many areas that until now have been negatively impacted by lacking infrastructure. Last, not least, it will give travelers many more choices when it comes to exploring U.S. territory. Good-bye airports queues, good-bye jammed highways. Wouldn’t that be nice? He’s got my vote.

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