Al-Ameen Adeyanju is a student at North Star Academy, Lincoln Park High School, Newark. N.J. and an intern in the summer program of the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg and PennLive.
A key aspect of human life through history has been movement. Our unique ability to be bi-pedal gives humans an advantage many animals don’t have, which aided our rise to the dominant world species.
This movement is not just limited to the body, however. Humans have used animals, boars, trains and planes to spread throughout the earth, often as conquerors in search of wealth as power.
In the modern era, humans’ ability to move is a different issue entirely. What is great about our advanced society is how quickly and efficiently we can move from one place to the other.
Technology is making movement even easier. But the United States seems to be falling behind countries like China and Japan in making transportation easy and quick. This is a true loss for an extremely rich nation.
The United States government has more than enough money and infrastructure to build public transportation systems not just in big cities, but in rural and suburban areas.
Too many American families have grown accustomed to having two or more cars, which lead to traffic congestion. Americans need to invest more in mass transit, including in high-speed trains.
America’s train industry is dominated by freight, primarily used for industrial material, effectively sidelining passenger rail. And many of America’s passenger rail systems are not nationwide but confined to large cities, and even then have many limitations or a small amount of attention.
Transportation could and should be so much better in our country if government officials would take it seriously and create more efficient systems to release Americans from dependence on cars.
Fewer cars would help combat climate change and could also allow the United States to adopt more clean energy buses as well. Most of all, a high-speed rail system would allow for transportation across large distances making travel easier and more affordable.
