opinion

Robust rail system would help America

There has not been an attempt to realistically connect all the cities in the United States by anything other than highways and interstates since the railway system gave way to cars in the second half of the 20th century. The reality is that the U.K., Canada, the majority of continental Europe and China have all put high-speed rail systems into effect, which has shown to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion as well as improve quality of life.

The United States has public transport within cities, but it is one of a minority of developed nations that does not have a high-speed rail system for transport between cities.

The matter of convenience for those who have a car has kept the issue of carbon emissions from millions of vehicles every day out of the minds of most, and in the hybrid cars of the rest.

— Katie Mitchell, Pella