The Transport Politic: A Note on the Future of American Transportation

[marmar]

A Note on the Future of American Transportation

Yonah Freemark
April 29th, 2011


The glee expressed by the commentariat — most conservative, though some to the left — over the decaying support for investing in the nation’s intercity rail system has been a telling indication of the degree to which too many Americans are willing to gloss over the demands of this growing country.

Convinced both that it would be too expensive to construct anything we do not already have and that the United States is so hewn to its automobile-oriented, mid-century landscape that it cannot change, this perspective appears to be gaining currency. To ill effect.

Though the conversation being had on the future of American transportation has been framed in terms of high-speed rail, a mode that has captured the minds of some and raised fury in others, the truth is that the ideological war being waged against increased investment in infrastructure applies to all modes of transportation. The crusade against government spending extends universally — and that means bike paths, light rail, and highways.

Yesterday’s Economist story on the nation’s transportation problems notes some of the most serious problems facing the world’s biggest economy: Infrastructure spending that is less than half of that in Europe and a third of that in China in terms of GDP; far too few funds dedicated to the maintenance of existing infrastructure; very low gas prices compared to just about everywhere else. Considering the lack of investment, the results are unsurprising: Very high traffic fatality rates and some of the longest commute times in the developed world. Not to mention our continued dependence on the congestion-causing, sprawl-inducing, pollution-generating private automobile. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2011/04/29/a-note-on-the-future-of-american-transportation/

[taterguy]

1. Another important thread destined to sink

Couldn't you throw in a reference to Olive Garden?

[marmar]

2. LOL....

:P

[taterguy]

4. Two replies in over half a day

Sex it up.

Sex it up.

[gratuitous]

3. Public transportation?! A commie plot!

Amurikins drive, pally. We drive cars with lousy gas mileage on overburdened roads and crumbling bridges, and we like it that way! We build highways that are inadequate to the carrying capacity before they're even finished. We HATE with the white hot fury of a thousand nuns anything that says we can't just jump in our cars and go; as soon as rush hour is over, because until then, we'll crawl along at a quarter mile an hour or so. But we like it that way! We each and every one of us has to drive to work and have our vehicles sit for 10 hours in the company lot just in case our kid gets sick at school and I have to go pick him up, which happened once back in 2007. Besides, riding on trains or buses is crowded, and the coaches are old, and someone got robbed on one last month. Sure, gas can go up to $4 a gallon or more and we'll figure out some way of paying for it, but don't you dare raise the gas tax to pay for anything! We can't afford an extra dollar a tank!

We're Amurikins. We drive. It's what we do.