The recent news about high-speed rail money coming to Upstate New York should have garnered enthusiastic response from all in this community who travel and from those involved in urban planning and governmental affairs for this region. This is great news for the future of Rochester.

But I am disappointed at the cautionary reaction by the county executive and the Democrat and Chronicle Editorial Board, among others. It is this skeptical attitude that has prevented many more federal dollars from being directed to this region. California and Florida, which received more funding, clearly recognize the economic and sustainability benefits of a healthy, well-developed rail transit system.

It is imperative that this state, this region, this city embrace high-speed rail transit (not to mention light rail and trolley systems), and we must begin to act immediately. In the near future, rail transit will be our only option for long-distance trips. Airline travel will ultimately become too expensive, and automobile travel will be too slow and too expensive. The inevitable truth is that oil is steadily being depleted on this planet, causing fuel prices to rise to unobtainable levels.

Planning for rail travel is not about economic feasibility for the short term; it is about economic survival for the long term. If we do not actively and aggressively pursue high-speed rail and other forms of rail travel for our cities, this state and subsequently this region will be uncompetitive with the rest of the country.

Soon we will have no choice but to change our ways. Operating in the "business as usual" mindset will only sink us deeper into economic despair.

Fortunately, our federal government has finally seen the light and is beginning to encourage and incentivize the development of high-speed rail travel. For us to not fully embrace this change would be irresponsible.

ROGER BROWN, ROCHESTER

Brown is president of the Rochester Regional Community Design Center.