Go High Speed Rail, Go

Three new pieces about high speed rail today. A poll was conducted in the U.S. by HNTB which shows that 88% of Americans are open to high speed rail. It doesn't mean that they want to pay for it, but this is at least something. The only thing stopping HSR is a lack of information on the subject and a lack of political will. The next article shows how HSR will help the economy.

But the real benefit of HSR may turn on its ability to expand economic growth, according to a new analysis by my colleagues at the Martin Prosperity Institute.

There are three main mechanisms through which high-speed rail can help expand the economy, according to the MPI study. First, HSR expands the labor pool available to firms, bringing talented workers from nearby centers within commuting distance and thus expanding the quantity and quality of available employees. Second, HSR makes more jobs available to workers without making them have to relocate and move to a new home. Third, HSR extends the benefits of other expensive, productivity-enhancing infrastructure such as airports across broad regions.

The economy is the most important thing as we are still in a downturn. HSR creates construction jobs during the building and enhances the economy once it's built.

Next, Premier Charest has announced another study on HSR to connect with the U.S. He says that if a connection is built, he would pay for the construction through the northern states where it wouldn't be of much interest. The only problem I have with this is the fact that they are studying this once again. I wish the politicians would stop studying and start building. It's like a student who studies extremely hard for a test, but, we doesn't show up for it. Therefore, the test is never done. I wish we could just get on with high speed rail.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Fast+train+York+enticing+proposal/2599646/story.html

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2010/02/HNTB-survey-HSR-support-still-strong.aspx

http://correspondents.theatlantic.com/richard_florida/2010/02/how_high-speed_rail_can_help_expand_the_economy.php