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Because the Automobile industry took off very early in the United States (when compared to other Western nations), much of the development of U.S. urban areas has taken place around the concept of creating cities and residential areas to suit the needs of road vehicles. The automobile industry was quick to attain influence in government and Media alike, and was also the force behind the dismantling of the electric rail transport systems or Trolleys in over 40 U.S. cities through a subsidiary called National City Lines . To link its vast territory, the United States built a network of high-capacity, high-speed Highway s, of which the most important element is the Interstate Highway system. These highways were commissioned in the 1950s by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and modeled after the German Autobahn system. There is also a Transcontinental Rail System , which is used for moving freight across the lower forty-eight states. Passenger rail service is provided by Amtrak , which serves forty-six of the lower forty-eight states. Some cities provide usable Mass-transit systems. The largest of them, New York , operates one of the world's most heavily used Subway systems. The Regional Rail and bus networks that extend into Long Island , New Jersey , Upstate New York , and Connecticut are among the most heavily used in the world. In comparison to Japan and Europe , the United States has an underdeveloped rail network. There exists no similar high speed rail links connecting major cities, as the TGV in France and ICE network in Germany. Ideal candidates for high speed rail links include Northeastern States, Florida, Texas, and California. Further Information: High-speed Rail In The United States aircrafts at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. Traveling By Air is the most popular means of travel in the United States over long distances.]] Air Travel is the preferred means of travel for long distances. In terms of passengers, seventeen of the world's thirty busiest Airports in 2004 were in the U.S., including the world's busiest, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport . In terms of cargo, in the same year, twelve of the world's thirty busiest airports were in the U.S., including the world's busiest, Memphis International Airport . There are several major Seaport s in the United States; the three busiest are the Port Of Los Angeles , California ; the Port Of Long Beach , California ; and the Port Of New York And New Jersey . The primary modes of passenger transportation in the United States are the Airplane and the Automobile . Most Americans prefer to Fly to any destination over 300 miles away and will Drive to anything closer. Other common forms of transportation include passenger Train s, Bus es, and Ferries . There are thriving mass transit systems with extensive bus, subway, rapid rail, and ferry networks in many large American cities. Most cargo transportation in the United States is done by sea, road, and rail; planes are commonly used only for perishables and certain valuables. Usually cargo is imported in containers through seaports, then distributed by road and rail. Freight rail is still financially viable and remains privately operated, as are all other methods of cargo movement (with the obvious exception of the United States Postal Service ). There are also several large private cargo shippers like FedEx and UPS . RAIL Passenger Trains were formerly a dominant mode of transportation, up until the mid-twentieth century. Declining profits for the privately-run passenger routes drove the Nationalization of passenger rail service, and the creation of Amtrak in 1971. Service in most parts of the country is limited; most major cities are served, but, especially in parts of the west, by only one or two trains per day. More frequent service is available in regional corridors between major cities, particularly the Northeast Corridor between Washington, DC , New York City and Boston , between New York City and Albany, NY , around Chicago , and in parts of California and the Pacific Northwest . About one in every three users of mass transit in the United States and two-thirds of the nation's rail riders live in New York . Nearly all railroad corridors are owned by private companies, which provide freight service. Amtrak pays these companies for the rights to use the tracks for passenger service. There are approximately 240,000 km of mainline rail routes in the United States. ''See List Of United States Railroads '' Many cities use Metro rail systems (also known as Heavy Rail in the U.S.) and/or Light Rail systems for high-capacity passenger service within the urban area. These include:
Railway links with adjacent countries Continental USA
Alaska
ROAD Greyhound Lines is the largest intercity Bus company in the United States, with routes in all parts of the Continental U.S. . There are also many smaller regional bus companies, many of which use the terminal and booking facilities provided by Greyhound. The bus is, in most cases, the least expensive way to travel long distances in the United States. ).]] Highways : total: 6,348,227 km paved: 3,732,757 km (including 88,727 km of Expressway s) unpaved: 2,615,470 km (1997 est.) All Highway s are maintained by state governments, although they receive federal aid to build and maintain Freeway s signed as part of the nationwide Interstate Highway network. A large number of expressways are actually government-operated Toll roads in most East Coast and Midwest states. West Coast freeways are generally free to users (no toll charged per use), although since the 1990s there have been some small experiments with toll roads operated by private companies. WATER Waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes. Ports and harbors: Anacortes, Washington , Anchorage, Alaska , Baltimore, Maryland , Boston, Massachusetts , Charleston, South Carolina , Chicago, Illinois , Duluth, Minnesota , Hampton Roads , Honolulu, Hawaii , Houston, Texas , Jacksonville, Florida , Long Beach, California , Los Angeles, California , Miami, Florida , New Orleans, Louisiana , New York City , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , Port Canaveral, Florida , Portland, Oregon , Oakland, California , Savannah, Georgia , Seattle, Washington , Tacoma, Washington , Tampa, Florida , Toledo, Ohio , Valdez, Alaska Merchant marine: total: 386 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,634,608 GRT/15,574,117 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 10, bulk 67, cargo 28, chemical tanker 14, combination bulk 2, container 84, liquified gas 10, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 104, roll-on/roll-off 43, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 9 (1999 est.) Ferry service is available in many parts of the country, including the Great Lakes region, Washington state, and the New York City area. Alaska is served by long-distance ferry routes that connect it to the rest of the country, and connect remote areas not connected by roads. AIR There is no single national flag airline. Aviation in the United States has been completely privatized. There is currently no direct government regulation of ticket pricing, although the Federal Government retains jurisdiction over aircraft safety, pilot training, and accident investigations (through the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board ). Airports are usually constructed and operated by local governments (the main exceptions are federal military bases). Airports: 14,572 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 5,174 over 3,047 m: 180 2,438 to 3,047 m: 221 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,310 914 to 1,523 m: 2,448 under 914 m: 1,015 (1999 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 9,398 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 155 914 to 1,523 m: 1,661 under 914 m: 7,574 (1999 est.) Heliports: 118 (1999 est.) OTHER Pipelines: Petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991) SEE ALSO
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