High-speed rails are appearing more frequently in government agendas, as it's a more economical form of transportation that stimulates job growth, not to mention the numerous environmental benefits. The rails remove millions of passengers from the road and use only a fifth the energy of an automobile trip, while improving air quality and significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
While the U.S. has been lagging in this department for some time, President Obama recently allocated $8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants for high-speed rails across the country, the full list of which you can find here. China, who is miles ahead of us when it comes to high-speed rails, announced plans this month to bid for contracts to build developing high-speed rails in the U.S., deputy railway minister Wang Zhiguo said. According to Wang, "China is willing to share its mature and advanced technology with other countries to promote development of the world's high-speed railways."
We're highlighting some noteworthy projects in the U.S. that have received federal funding, as well as some plans slated abroad. Take a look, and vote for your favorite rail plan!