And, I believe our citizens will never have this transportation option without passage of SB 250, the High Speed Rail Investment Act. The United States has made a commitment to passenger rail service through the creation of Amtrak. It is important that our government live up to that commitment by financially supporting the infrastructure needs to insure Amtrak's success. The need for passenger rail is obvious. Our airports and highways are stressed to capacity.
Passenger rail can reach cities and towns with limited transportation alternatives.
Fast rail service is highly competitive with auto and air service on routes under 300 miles. Rail is energy efficient and friendly to the environment. It also gives a big return for the cost compared to highway and air requirements. Quite frankly, the people of Augusta and America want rail passenger service. Thirty-two states, including Georgia, are currently investing in rail programs.