You probably don't need to hear it from the New York Times to know just how lousy our web of rail infrastructure is. But the Times does give a pretty stark reminder in today's article by John Schwartz. With the first stage of a $3.2B improvement project underway, it's befuddling to think how bad the system has been for so long. One quarter of all rail traffic passes through Chicago, with freight, commuter lines, and Amtrak all competing for track. An extreme snarling of traffic is the norm, and when things like blizzards hit, ripple effects are felt across the entire nation. The dreaded Englewood interchange and 24 others are getting new underpasses and overpasses as part of the multi-governmental improvement project. A new east-west route is also being added. It can't happen soon enough. [NY Times, image: 4252productions/flickr]
Filed under:
Loading comments...