America needs high-speed rails
By Preston C.
Many people around the nation unanimously agree and support the idea of the United States having high speed rail. In fact, according to the US High Speed Rail Coalition, a staggering 72% of Americans support the decision to conceptualize the construction of such networks. I believe that now is the time to really start thinking about putting the concepts into motion. With gas prices at record breaking highs, America needs another quick , cheap , easy , and non gas-using mode of transportation. High Speed Rails (HSRs) would benefit America and American citizens in a number of ways.
First of all, HSRs have economic benefits, both on the consumer who can save money by avoiding high gas prices and on the nation’s GDP by investing in an underdeveloped industry In today's economy gas has gotten to the point where many believe it became unreasonably high with an overall price increase of around 89.5% since 2020, according to Pew Research Center, although it has since gone back down a bit. It seems clear that we need a new mode of transport that does not rely on costly gas. Comparing ticket prices and how HSR contributes to other countries' economies reveals the potential economic impact on HSRs in the US. If ticket prices for this proposed network were roughly $80 dollars per route, and 72% of Americans rode the network each year, an estimated yearly revenue would be roughly $198,965,704,89. That’s almost two billion dollars in revenue, which is a very good starting statistic for an annual earning in any industry.
Speaking of statistics, how many Americans want this to happen? The amount of public support for HSRs is massive, which should be reason enough to invest in them. As I said in the introduction, according to US High Speed Rail Coalition a staggering 72% of Americans want High Speed rail. Moreover, 48% of Americans strongly support the idea, with support being found strongest in western voters. So it's very clear that it's what Americans want to bring to our nation. It seems like a no brainer to invest in something that the public clearly wants.
Ever since the construction of US highways and America's loving relationship with the automobile passenger traffic on US railroads dropped significantly. This drop led to many railroads such as That was roughly 75 years ago. For 75 years Americans have longed for long distance travel not viewed as a luxury and just a means of transportation. It seems some Americans even long for the return of the sprawling passenger rail industry America once thrived in.
Many people think it would be a waste to build a high speed railroad however. Roughly 7% just simply do not want the nation to have one. They believe that it would be too expensive. Believing funding would come from raising tax prices. They also believe that it wouldn't lift off. With America not having major long distance high speed rail since the 50s , and America seemingly doing fine without. They think it would just overall be a waste of money and resources. Regardless of the naysayers, I look towards the endeavor with a smile. I believe American high speed rail would prosper greatly and look forward to any news of the idea coming to fruition. And to the people of America asking about raised taxes for funding I say so be it. I'd happily fund this endeavor anyway as I believe it's a transit method of the past that can pave the way for a better future.
When I asked my peers their opinions of high speed rail, mixed responses were recorded.
One question was, ¨Do you believe high speed rail would largely benefit America?¨ To which, ¨I don't think so because there's not many trains taking people places nowadays," said Joseph C.
When asked the same question, Demitruis J. had a different opinion stating, "It would really benefit me and many other people I wish there was a fast service to places so I could see my family and other things.¨
And when asked, ¨Do you believe it would be a good idea to build a high speed rail network?¨
this was the response from Joseph Collins: ¨I don't think so and even if they did it would come from raised taxes if anything."
In conclusion, high-speed rail in America is a very compelling topic. With widespread public support could see significant economic potential for the US , and the urgent need for alternative transportation options, it is clear that now is the time for the U.S. to invest. High-speed rail offers Americans an affordable and efficient way to travel, reducing dependency on high gas prices and expensive air travel. Despite some opposition, the overwhelming demand for such a system suggests that high-speed rail could reignite America’s rail transportation landscape and provide large economic growth. As the nation seeks to modernize its infrastructure, embracing high-speed rail could be the step toward a more connected, sustainable, and prosperous future.