Imagine the last time you took a trip between two American cities. Maybe you had to wait in line at a crowded airport; maybe you spent hours in traffic in a car or a bus. Or maybe you made the trip on a train that had to slow down over and over because it was running on outdated tracks.
Now think about the fact that over the next 40 years, the population of the US is projected to grow by 100 million, and consider how much that’ll increase the use of our roads, airports, and rail. Now imagine what that same trip you took will be like if we don’t build the transportation infrastructure we need to accommodate those extra travelers.
The fact is, those folks are going to travel one way or another. But it’s up to us whether they travel on the infrastructure of the past, or whether they travel on new 21st century transportation infrastructure that’s fast, modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly.
That’s why Vice President Biden traveled to Philadelphia today to announce a comprehensive plan to help the nation reach President Obama’s goal of giving 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail within 25 years. The President is proposing to invest $53 billion over the next six years to continue construction of a national high-speed and intercity passenger rail network, which will create tens of thousands of private-sector jobs while helping to lay a new foundation for our economy.
Fonte: White House