^^ Article makes some valid points depending on where your building. But also fails to note that some places like California and or Florida the cost to build comparable lane miles for the same carrying capacity is equivalent if not more. Essentially, their is a lot of places where it doesn't make sense and just as their is places where it does.
Another way to argue it, most likely HSR to Los Angeles to Las Vegas isn't going to happen because the traffic and economics just won't justify it nor do you have anything in between to justify another piece of infrastructure at the expense of taxpayers. Where as California pushing HSR between two major metro areas of 18 million people or so with their own expanding rail/transit/subway systems through the Central Valley which in itself has population equivalent to St. Louis metro area is justified on the cost to meet demand by trying to build a third freeway to relieve I-5 and Hwy 99 which budget estimates show to cost even more and most likely to even more land out of productive use.
Another way to argue it, most likely HSR to Los Angeles to Las Vegas isn't going to happen because the traffic and economics just won't justify it nor do you have anything in between to justify another piece of infrastructure at the expense of taxpayers. Where as California pushing HSR between two major metro areas of 18 million people or so with their own expanding rail/transit/subway systems through the Central Valley which in itself has population equivalent to St. Louis metro area is justified on the cost to meet demand by trying to build a third freeway to relieve I-5 and Hwy 99 which budget estimates show to cost even more and most likely to even more land out of productive use.
