The federal government has invested trillions in highways and air travel but only $10 billion in high-speed rail between 1949 and 2017.
In summary Between 1949 and 2017, the federal government invested only $10 billion in high-speed rail with $4 billion of that dedicated to the California project, compared to investments of $777 billion in aviation and over $2 trillion in highways. The federal government can't expect transformative results with piecemeal funding. We must go big. Guest Commentary written by Ray LaHood Ray LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, was the U.S. secretary of transportation from 2009-2013. He represented the 18th Congressional District in Illinois from 1995-2009. Intensifying climate change, worsening traffic congestion and volatile gas prices have affected us all, and it is now clearer than ever that our nation deserves a world-class high-speed rail network powered by carbon-free energy. In order to compete globally, decarbonize the transportation sector and achieve long-term energy security, we urgently need to get serious about high-speed rail. During my tenure as secretary of transportation, one of President Obama's visions was development of a high-speed rail program and we included $8 billion for high-speed rail initiatives in the economic stimulus bill. The Obama administration was especially proud to help launch the rail program in California, advanced under the visionary leadership of former Gov. Jerry Brown, with a $4 billion investment. Opponents of California's high-speed rail program continue to jeer from the sidelines, as the project reports new cost increases. But the real impediment to progress is a long-term lack of federal support for high-speed…