Spatial Dimensions Of High Speed Rail

Globalization has magnified the role of regions, restructuring social and economic relationships into networks that span increasing distances. At the same time, greater attention is paid to urban quality, as non-vehicular modes and compact forms of development become critical in an environmentally conscious world. Within this context, increasing interest and adoption of high-speed rail (HSR)-- mode with spatial sustainability objectives--is unsurprising. HSR has the potential to integrate cities into mutually supportive networks across long distances while also supporting more sustainable forms of development. For HSR to become a sustainable investment, however, requires coordinated policy efforts across levels of government and at different points in a project's life-cycle. This investigation spans multiple scales of the physical environment and institutional sphere, examines ways of coupling institutional change with technological change, and addresses the importance of uncertainty as a driver of system behavior. We focus on inter-jurisdictional relationships, with special attention paid to smaller intermediate cities brought within one-hour's travel time of a larger metropolis by HSR services. Mid-distance service (