The United States' attempts to catch up with parts of the world regarding high-speed rail infrastructure have received a boost after a Texas mayor revealed their confidence that a proposed project is forthcoming.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross is not discouraged by delays from the Dallas City Council regarding the construction of a 30-mile rail line between Dallas and Fort Worth.
"I don't think they can just kill the program," he told WFAA, as Newsweek detailed. "I think high-speed rail is something that is necessary to regionalize transportation in all of North Texas. We are rapidly becoming the third-largest metropolitan area in the United States."
In June, the Dallas City Council put the brakes on the project proposal and announced an economic feasibility study that will likely run through 2025. But Ross thinks it will soon be discovered the plans would bring "economic importance" to the area.
The Dallas-Fort Worth proposal isn't Texas' only foray into high-speed rail tracks. A 240-mile line between Dallas and Houston is also being investigated, with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz saying both projects "would create jobs and support the economy," per Newsweek.
But high-speed rail will do a lot more than that. Having quick, efficient, rail routes between populous areas of the state will reduce reliance on dirty-fuel-powered vehicles and planes, ensuring that trips can be taken in an environmentally friendly way.
While it's difficult to quantify exactly — passenger numbers and route length impact any calculation — rail travel has been found to produce far less pollution than traveling by both car and plane.
Data from the U.K. government, shared by Our World in Data, found the country's national rail service produced just 35 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer in 2022, compared to 170 grams for a petrol car, 171 grams for a diesel car, and 151 grams for a domestic flight.
With Texas experiencing a range of extreme weather events, cutting planet-warming emissions is absolutely essential to decreasing the length and intensity of droughts, flooding, and wildfires.
Japan and China boast extensive high-speed rail networks, while France is among the European nations that have high-speed infrastructure.
The high-speed Brightline rail service in Florida, connecting Tampa to Miami, has already proved successful, with travelers raving about the experience. Hopefully, more U.S. states will see the benefits and deliver projects of their own.
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