Ridership increased from coast to coast, in large cities, suburban communities and in small towns. As we work to reduce air pollution from mobile sources, we must continue to identify and invest in more transportation options, such as high speed rail, that have the potential to reduce air pollution and maddening congestion. Passing S. 250 will take us a long way towards the goals of cleaner air and greater mobility. Please fax, email and call your Senators now and urge them to support S. 250, the High Speed Rail Investment Act of 2001. Expansion of our rail system would help reduce congestion, promote smart growth through economic revitalization of downtown areas, and spur economic growth through enhanced mobility.
Traffic congestion leads to decreased air quality.
Cars, trucks and buses have become our country's biggest source of cancer-causing air pollution, spewing more than 12 billion pounds of toxic chemicals each year. Adding new lanes and building new roads only exacerbates the problem by making people more reliant on their cars, leading to even more sprawl. Air travel is another source of both frustration and pollution that could be reduced by railways. In all of these cases, high-speed rail could reduce air traffic in our increasingly congested airports and air routes, and would be a great alternative to constructing more airports. I urge you to support this legislation that will give Americans alternatives to sitting in traffic.