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Eight states and the city of Chicago signed an agreement today aimed at coordinating plans to develop high-speed passenger train corridors across the Midwest.
The memo of understanding focuses on offering a faster and more efficient option for travelers as well as creating thousands of jobs to boost the economy, officials said.
The agreement was signed during a high-speed rail summit held in Chicago. Participants to the agreement are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Chicago.
Chicago, 8 states sign high-speed rail pact - Chicago Breaking News (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/07/chicago-8-states-sign-high-speed-rail-pact.html - broken link)
If some private company would like to do this, I'm all for it. But with our current financial situation, our gov't should be looking to cut costs and not add unneccesary ones.
If some private company would like to do this, I'm all for it. But with our current financial situation, our gov't should be looking to cut costs and not add unneccesary ones.
Then don't use any Interstates to get there.
Obviously you oppose government infrastructure spending, and the Interstate system was the biggest in history at the time.
Good luck.
This is awesome. The Upper Midwest needs this type of coordination - all the great universities, the Great Lakes, the cities ... I've lived where one depends on the automobile, and I have lived where one doesn't even need to own one. The latter is SO much better in terms of quality of life.
Yeah, Obama. It's about time we caught up to the rest of the developed world. Stimulate baby!
Notice that most all of the states border Illinois. That should tell you who is behind that idea. Trains are dead.
As I am sure you already know, there are several regional high-speed rail projects included in the stimulus. The one anchored on Chicago is the Great Lakes regional one. If it's some conspiracy, then it would have to apply to every regional project.
And trains are FAR from dead. In fact, mass transit and Amtrak are all recording record riderships. Cities can't build mass transit fast enough. What's dead is the auto-based suburban dream of yesteryear. People are flocking to walkable neighborhoods, and in fact development around transit is the only segment of the construction industry still expanding.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,769,842 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluefly
As I am sure you already know, there are several regional high-speed rail projects included in the stimulus. The one anchored on Chicago is the Great Lakes regional one. If it's some conspiracy, then it would have to apply to every regional project.
And trains are FAR from dead. In fact, mass transit and Amtrak are all recording record riderships. Cities can't build mass transit fast enough. What's dead is the auto-based suburban dream of yesteryear. People are flocking to walkable neighborhoods, and in fact development around transit is the only segment of the construction industry still expanding.
I am not opposed to rail service where it works best for the people. But it only works best in places that have a high density of population. I fully support it for Boston to Washington. I fully support it for San Diego to San Fransisco- and maybe even Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Milwaukee- Chicago- Detroit might work. But Iowa?? Missouri??- I do not see it as working in those places. Not enough people to make it worth the investment.
Obviously you oppose government infrastructure spending, and the Interstate system was the biggest in history at the time.
Good luck.
This is awesome. The Upper Midwest needs this type of coordination - all the great universities, the Great Lakes, the cities ... I've lived where one depends on the automobile, and I have lived where one doesn't even need to own one.
The latter is SO much better in terms of quality of life.
Yeah, Obama. Stimulate baby.
You seem giddy at the prospect of another wasteful government bureaucracy, you poor misled thing.
How will high speed rail free you from the automobile or provide a benefit not already accomplished by air travel?
I am not opposed to rail service where it works best for the people. But it only works best in places that have a high density of population. I fully support it for Boston to Washington. I fully support it for San Diego to San Fransisco- and maybe even Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Milwaukee- Chicago- Detroit might work. But Iowa?? Missouri??- I do not see it as working in those places. Not enough people to make it worth the investment.
Yeah, I can appreciate what you're saying. If it's connecting the major hubs - St. Louis, Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago ... I think it could work. I don't think it would work just in Missouri or Iowa or Michigan, but given people the ability to travel between all those cities could be a strong economic stimulus.
One of the problems with the Midwest is that things are just a little too spread out to economically feed off one another. High-speed rail could be a strong economic engine. I know, for example, the Metro has proven to be a HUGE economic asset to Washington, DC.
You seem giddy at the prospect of another wasteful government bureaucracy, you poor misled thing.
How will high speed rail free you from the automobile or provide a benefit not already accomplished by air travel?
Amtrak has been a loser since it's inception.
Yeah, nothin' like hoppin' in my Hummer H2 and driving along I-94 getting 5 gallons to the mile....
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