The gordian knot of economic recover efforts.

[Fovea]

imagine one effort that would improve America's Kyoto compliance, employ a million or more, reshape the American landscape, and save the big three automakers and remake the steel industry among others. It could reduce emissions, increase population densities over time, and create communities with economic and logistic centers already mostly built in to the landscape.

Take the interstate highway system and overlay it with high speed rail and commuter rail for interbelt highways.
Require 90% domestic content.

Not only will it create huge numbers of construction jobs, it will create thousands of long term jobs in transit systems.
It will be electric and thus be fuel agnostic. It will use the same rights of way that DOT already controls.

It is the bit that makes electric cars make sense. train out to your local parking center and take your car on more local loops.
A lot more car rental will happen, or even bike rental. Or a bike parking/baggage car in the middle of trains.

With a dedicated medium speed rail system say 120mph max the engineering is not extreme and on its own track, we would save all the fuel spend on medium haul air travel.

THis is the exact sort of Keynesian project that makes the most sense. It employs in short and long haul, and it becomes a value added part of the commons.

[cliffordu]

1. Yep - and the economy gets fixed. Just as soon as we imprison the scumsters

that created the current crisis and legislate against sliding scale/ April fool mortgages, credit card stunts and car loan shenanigans....

[WhiteTara]

2. I love rail travel n/t