by Carl Gibson

hina has overtaken the U.S. as the world's top economy. But in taking a few examples from China, as well as investing in jobs that stay in America and taking steps to insure economic stability for the majority of American workers, the U.S. can come out on top again. And we can do it without having to decimate working people or the environment.

Much of the growth China has experienced is through Chinese urban centers becoming more connected than ever due to China's investments in high-speed rail (HSR). Since 2008, China has built 6,800 miles of track for their HSR systems, allowing, for example, the 820-mile distance between Shanghai and Beijing – roughly the same distance as between Chicago and New York City — to be covered in just five hours, for less than the cost of a plane ticket. China is also connecting provincial communities in the Western region to major urban centers, giving rural residents easier access to urban jobs.

In the 100 Chinese cities that are connected by the HSR network, there hash been a59 percent increase in market potential, meaning that HSR is making it easier than ever for companies, employees, customers, and new markets to reach one another. By 2020, China will have built 12,000 miles of high-speed rail, with 4 lines going east-west and 4 lines going north-south. The rapid growth of China's economy since 2008 correlates almost directly to the growth of China's HSR infrastructure.

The U.S. is currently piloting high-speed rail systems in California, New York, Florida, Michigan, and Illinois. The California rail network, which connects the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles, is expected to create an estimated 450,000 new permanent jobs as a result of HSR car manufacturing, track laying, and maintenance. The New York rail line will connect New York City with Albany, the capital city, along I-87, and major cities along the I-90 corridor all the way to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The Florida HSR line will connect Miami with Orlando, both of which are urban centers central to Florida's economy. The Illinois line will allow direct, traffic-free travel between Chicago and Saint Louis, which is normally a 5-hour drive. That same rail network will connect Chicago to Detroit, shaving 2 and a half hours off a standard drive on the interstate.