Three words: High Speed Rail

By Aaron Ebbinghouse

Three words: High Speed Rail

Instead of throwing away more money on roads which just encourages more people to drive and waste more time and more money; why don't we fix the congestion, conserve fuel, reduce our dependency on foreign oil, save the environment and improve our quality of life?

With a regional High Speed Rail system people will be able to fully utilize their time for personal or professional use rather than wasting time sitting in their cars mindlessly staring out from behind the wheel. Chicagoland residents do plenty of that, as we live in the second worst commuting city in the US. In addition to getting more work done, a person on a HSR commute can walk around freely, get a beverage, eat dinner or catch up with friends via e mail on a wireless High Speed Internet connection.

Chicago is the rail hub of the US and that existing infrastructure is great when it comes to hauling freight. It's the backbone of our economy, but as we move away from the economy of manufacturing and toward the economy of information, people require a mode of transportation that reflects that shift.

Imagine a business trip from Chicago to Detroit, St. Louis or even Pittsburgh in well under three hours. On HSR that trip would avoid waiting through a security line and the uncertainty of knowing if your flight will arrive on time. This is a major concern as more than 1 in 4 flights were delayed last year in the US. That number is even worse for O'hare with 67% of flights departing on time.

Building a regional HSR network will stimulate the economy and provide jobs for those out of work. This will help keep unemployment in check when our troops come home from the Middle East.

What better way to step out of the historically inefficient transportation modes of the past and into the future than with High Speed Rail?