Time to Shine: Trends Are Turning in Transit's Favor, Putting Passenger Rail in Prime Position to Serve as the 'Mode for Mobility'

This article examines future trends in passenger rail in the context of growing support for transit programs that use rail as their primary mode. One theory places U.S. economic trends in the context of transportation infrastructure developments, which occur in 50-year increments, starting with canals in the early 1800s, transcontinental railroads in the late 1800s, roads and airports (early to mid-1900s), and the interstate highway system. The question now is whether rail will come to dominate the economy's transportation infrastructure for the next half-century. Expensive gas, a growing population, and concerns about traffic congestion, pollution, and global warming all argue in rail's favor, the theory goes. Obstacles to this expansion include high expenses that cut into operating budgets, even as demand grows. The Passenger Rail Working Group of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission laid out a four-decade investment and expansion blueprint in 2007. The plans, which include expanding passenger rail in areas predicted to experience high population growth and designating federal high-speed rail corridors, would cost some $357.2 billion to implement. Rail supporters argue that highway funds could be siphoned off to help pay for the improvements. Transit-oriented development could be another source of revenues. State and regional rail operators give case study examples.