09 Feb 15
The decades old image of a car in every garage is going the way of high buttoned shoes, americans are ditching their cars and walking, biking, and taking public transportation in ever larger numbers, yet our lawmakers (who always seem to be behind the times) keep pushing for our transportation dollars to be used to build more roads, and freeways, rather than bike lanes. sidewalks, and high speed rail. Maybe it's time to start to replace our decaying freeway system with the future in mind. Thoughts?
http://money.cnn.com/2012/09/17/news/economy/young-buying-cars/index.html
http://www.care2.com/causes/more-americans-ditching-cars-for-public-transit.html
09 Feb 15
1 edit
Originally posted by bill718High speed rail I get, but sidewalks instead of freeways? What does one thing have to do with the other? There's virtually never a dichotomy between walking and taking the freeway.
The decades old image of a car in every garage is going the way of high buttoned shoes, americans are ditching their cars and walking, biking, and taking public transportation in ever larger numbers, yet our lawmakers (who always seem to be behind the times) keep pushing for our transportation dollars to be used to build more roads, and freeways, rather than ...[text shortened]... s/index.html
http://www.care2.com/causes/more-americans-ditching-cars-for-public-transit.html
Biking is great and I'm all for more bike lanes. But again, bikes don't replace freeway traffic.
Building bike lanes and sidewalks is fine, but they don't replace long distance transportation. It's not one or the other.
Rail is a more interesting questions. Train systems within cities are certainly valuable, but intracity rail in the US is not as practical as it is in Japan or Europe due to the distances between cities. If you want to go from Washington to San Francisco, you're going to fly. No train is going to get you there quickly enough to make it worth it.
09 Feb 15
Originally posted by sh76I was not suggesting replacing freeways with bike lanes and sidewalks, we'll always need some freeways, I was suggesting using a percentage of highway funds to build bike paths and walking lanes alongside the freeways. At the rate people are ditching their cars, one freeway lane could be set aside for bikes and walkers.
High speed rail I get, but sidewalks instead of freeways? What does one thing have to do with the other? There's virtually never a dichotomy between walking and taking the freeway.
Biking is great and I'm all for more bike lanes. But again, bikes don't replace freeway traffic.
Building bike lanes and sidewalks is fine, but they don't replace long distance ...[text shortened]... sco, you're going to fly. No train is going to get you there quickly enough to make it worth it.
10 Feb 15
Originally posted by bill718Do you still own a car and drive it?
I was not suggesting replacing freeways with bike lanes and sidewalks, we'll always need some freeways, I was suggesting using a percentage of highway funds to build bike paths and walking lanes alongside the freeways. At the rate people are ditching their cars, one freeway lane could be set aside for bikes and walkers.
10 Feb 15
Originally posted by sh76High speed rail is fraught with all sorts of problems (right of way, safety of surrounding traffic and homes), and the payoff isn't really that great in terms of time saved.
High speed rail I get, but sidewalks instead of freeways? What does one thing have to do with the other? There's virtually never a dichotomy between walking and taking the freeway.
Biking is great and I'm all for more bike lanes. But again, bikes don't replace freeway traffic.
Building bike lanes and sidewalks is fine, but they don't replace long distance ...[text shortened]... sco, you're going to fly. No train is going to get you there quickly enough to make it worth it.
The problem with rails in general is that they go to and from specific locations. That is great for moving large quantities of freight, but people in large numbers have widely different destinations.
Bikes, jogging and walking are largely recreational and not practical transportation to and from work. I tried biking one spring in Cleveland when I was in pretty good shape, and I didn't have money to fix my car. I got there faster than bus transportation, but I arrived sweat soaked, and my employer didn't have shower facilities. By the time I washed up in the rest room, I was late for work.
I'm betting that Bill drives to work. Might be wrong, but most often leftists tend to want to dictate the actions of others while leaving themselves out of the picture.
There are reasons why in most major cities public transportation moved from trains and streetcars to buses. Even trackless trolleys (buses powered by overhead wires) became obsolete. I don't know how they are working out, but in 94 Cleveland has some natural gas buses which were much quieter, and cleaner than the old diesels.
10 Feb 15
Originally posted by bill718Those of us who drive cars pay the gasoline taxes that are supposed to be dedicated to road building and maintenance. How about a special tax be levied on bicycle purchases, and on running and walking shoes to finance bike lanes, as well as a tax on public transportation fares to make up the costs which right now are shifted to others who don't use those means?
I was not suggesting replacing freeways with bike lanes and sidewalks, we'll always need some freeways, I was suggesting using a percentage of highway funds to build bike paths and walking lanes alongside the freeways. At the rate people are ditching their cars, one freeway lane could be set aside for bikes and walkers.
Perhaps registration fees for bicycles or running shoes to be used on public roads? In short, pay for your own ideas instead of expecting others to do so.