High-speed rails could cut problems to the quick

By Editorial Board

Publication Date: 02/02/2010

Traveling across Indiana and Illinois is about to get much easier, especially for those without access to a car.
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Obama Administration has approved $8 billion in funding for a high-speed railway system. Illinois has received $1.23 billion to construct a rail system that will link Chicago to St. Louis, with trains traveling up to 110 mph.
According to the Federal Railway Administration, this particular rail link will allow customers to reach their destination 30 percent faster compared to current rail service, and 10 percent faster than driving between the two cities. Eventually, the Midwest route will link Chicago to every major city within 400 miles.
Railway development and improvement could not have come at a better time. This opportunity will create thousands of much-needed jobs. Indiana received $71 million for an “Indiana Gateway” to improve the Amtrak system. This new project alone will create more than 700 jobs for Hoosiers. 
The high-speed rail system will not be as efficient as California’s 220 mph trains, which rival Europe’s system, but it is certainly a step up. As President Barack Obama said, “There’s no reason why other countries can build high-speed rail lines and we can’t.”
He is absolutely right. As tech-savvy and developed as the U.S. is, there is no reason why our transportation system can’t be top-notch. Traveling by train in Europe is a breeze; the same is not true of the U.S. Train trips are often expensive and are not much faster than if one were to drive or even take a bus.
Train travel is less harmful on the environment, but only time will tell if the new railway will be cost-efficient. If it is affordable, this rail system could revolutionize travel. People without cars would be able to travel much more easily. We are glad this country is moving forward, literally.