On the utility and challenges of high-speed rail in the United States

Bradley W. Lane

Journal of Transport Geography, 2012, vol. 22, issue C, 282-284

Abstract: Considerable attention has been given to high-speed rail in the US with the Obama administration’s initiatives to invest in its development. This viewpoint discusses the utility of high-speed rail, as well as some major challenges facing its application to the transport geography of the US. High-speed rail has the potential to alleviate automobile and short-haul air traffic congestion in several regional corridors throughout the US, which would have significant economic, environmental, and quality-of-life benefits. Though a national network may not be feasible, a series of interconnected regional corridors would make a de facto national high-speed network that would represent a significant improvement over existing national rail operations, which outside of the Northeast and Pacific Coast are virtually non-existent. However, before this can be achieved major issues of engineering and track right of way, service provision, and stop access require resolution.

Keywords: HSR; Last-mile problem; Accessibility; Transportation infrastructure; Transportation economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:22:y:2012:i:c:p:282-284

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2012.01.030

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