Trains are safer and more environmentally friendly. Kentucky needs a statewide railway system.
We can learn a lot from the past. Trains were invented 82 years before the car. Cars have a more private experience, but trains are safer and more environmentally friendly. Colorado State University’s article What are the most environmentally friendly modes of transportation? tracked the carbon dioxide per mile for all basic ways of traveling. The standard and electric car produced 374 and 161 grams respectively compared to 88 of an electric train per mile. One of the contributing factors is the train’s electric motor, fewer acceleration events, and lower rolling resistance. Passenger trains are also considerably safer compared to vehicles according to the National Safety Council.
Why aren’t we investing more in passenger trains in Kentucky?
As with most large-scale projects it comes down to funding and unfortunately, Kentucky currently has no funding dedicated for passenger rail projects according to their LRSTP policy plan. National Academies Press approximates it cost $2 million per square mile in rural areas and up to $300 million per square mile in urban areas, which can cause a lot of variances in the process. However, metro stations can bring in great economic development opportunities and this has been the case for several U.S. cities like Normal, Illinois, Brunswick, Maine, and Raleigh, North Carolina.
Kentucky is currently the huge gap in the southeastern United States’ railway network, but by investing in passenger railway systems Kentucky could open the door to future economic development, tourism, better supply chain infrastructure and job creation. Kentucky could be the first statewide “metro” in United States history. This investment could enhance the future of Kentucky’s prosperity, as shown in the example cities above and will improve future business opportunities from stakeholders both foreign and domestic. Opportunities would increase for Kentuckians and the talent pool would multiply for companies.
More: Kentucky's 5 costliest hazardous material transportation incidents of the past decade
Potential metro hubs for Kentucky that could connect Kentuckians to anywhere in the state with relative ease. Kentuckians only have access to passenger rail from through Amtrak with routes from Ashland to Covington and in Fulton. Both routes are on the outside borders of the state.
Imagine the potential a statewide metro could bring to not just to one city but multiple! Kentucky could reap great benefits in investing in passenger rail development on a state level. You never know, maybe one day a family from Pikeville could wake up one morning and decide “Hey, lets go eat at our favorite restaurant in Paducah!” then effortlessly go to the “Kentucky Metro” and by lunch time be enjoying their favorite dish in Paducah.
Tanner Willis is a Graduate Student at United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Trains make traveling Kentucky safer, more environmentally friendly.
