"Imagine boarding a train in the center of a … whisking through towns at speeds over 100 … and ending up just blocks from your destination." That's the vision President Obama laid out in April while unveiling his plan to spend $13 billion on high-speed rail (HSR) by 2014. But will it ever become a reality? Next month, D.C. will split the first funds among 11 designated corridors. A road map for the journey ahead:
A BETTER-CONNECTED AMERICA
Advocates see HSR as a green way to link the megaregions of the future (shaded). Start with the highest-impact projects, they say, then grow the network.
HOW THE U.S. MEASURES UP
With only one slower, shorter line in service (the Acela), we're far behind the leading HSR nations.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
