High-speed trains connecting major cities are a perfect example of wasteful spending masquerading as a respectable social cause. In reality, they would further burden already overburdened governments and drain dollars from worthier programs, says Robert Samuelson.
Let’s suppose that the Obama administration gets its wish to build high-speed rail systems in 13 urban corridors.
What would we get for this huge investment? Not much. Here’s what we wouldn’t get: any meaningful reduction in traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air travel, oil consumption or imports, says Samuelson.
High-speed rail would subsidise a tiny group of travellers and do little else. With governments everywhere pressed for funds, how can anyone justify a program whose main effect will simply be to make matters worse?
Source: Robert J. Samuelson, Calif. Rail Project Is High-Speed Pork, Washington Post, November 1, 2010.
For text: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/31/AR2010103104260.html
For Congressional Research Service study: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40973.pdf
For more on Environment Issues: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=31
First published by the National Center for Policy Analysis, United States
FMF Policy Bulletin/ 09 November 2010
