Outside of the urban core, the need to connect cities while reducing dependence on highways points to high-speed rail (HSR) as a potential solution. On a broader scale, high-speed rail could afford us the convenience of interstates without the human and environmental costs. AdvertisementA History of Highway Rail StudiesBuilding high-speed rail along highway corridors is not new from a logistical and theoretical standpoint. Real-World ObstaclesA variety of practical concerns with such a system make this only a partial solution to our lack of high-speed rail. According to the High Speed Rail Alliance, a rail industry group, one of the biggest challenges with highway-aligned high-speed rail is the need for long, straight sections of track and wide median areas to support construction HSR.