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‘Stand Up For Transportation’ aims to raise awareness of mobility issues
Yay, more pork on wasteful projects that do little to actually improve mobility!
Our country underspends on basic infrastructure.
I think its telling that despite global warming, the Mideast wars, the controversies over fracking, the railroad issues with oil transport, we essentially exist in the same automobile culture of the 1960’s today. Yes, light rail is growing but its also interesting to see the divide between funding those systems and the Perils of Pauline and Amtrak political football. I have to ask myself how bad does it have to get?
What I see as a residential builder is the increasing popularity of walkable communities and the strong desire for alternatives to driving. This is happening in suburban centers as well as downtowns. This growing demographic is especially strong among well educated young adults.
Transit oriented development will continue to grow because it makes sense. Not funding our infrastructure will both hinder the general economy and make our cities and suburbs less attractive and in the long run less sustainable.
@ W Michael Shuster and others: although it’s not about rail, as such, check out the recent documentary “Human Scale,” about the work of Danish architect Jan Gehl and his staff to rethink the world’s cities, including US cities. Gehl believes the car age is ending and other modes of transport, from bikes to rail, will gain. He also mentions that young people want to live in cities and want good mass transit. Philadelphia recently reinstituted late night weekend subway service because young people demanded it.