There is nothing more mind numbing than a long commute. Driving down barren roadways for hours at a time just to attend a meeting in a larger city. Too long for a car ride but too short to take a flight.

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There is one solution, and Arizona is in talks to implement it.

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High-Speed Rail

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The Arizona Department of Transportation has been looking into a long-distance, high-speed rail system in the Grand Canyon state for some time. The rail line would run from Tucson to Phoenix, effectively connecting two of the biggest metropolitan areas in Arizona.

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This plan comes due to Phoenix being the only major metropolitan city in the country without the use of a commuter rail system. Based on previous, similar rail systems, this is an excellent idea that would change the social landscape of Arizona for the better.

Can It Happen?

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The proposed Tucson to Phoenix line is an exciting idea, but how likely is it that we see progress shortly?

Not likely.

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Despite being given $500,000 for the project's development in December 2023, ADOT is nowhere closer to breaking ground. The estimates for the completion of the rail system sit at around $10 Billion, a mammoth amount of cash.

Added to that impossible sum, the Arizona Republicans are adamant about stopping the project entirely, believing that residents are partial to their automobiles and that the funding for the rail project would come out of taxpayers' pockets.

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It may seem like the project will never get off the ground, but ADOT has remained vigilant in securing the funding and bringing a new form of commuting to this beautiful state.

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