Why aren’t we making transportation in America great again?
America’s public transit systems are terrible. John Rennie Short details the disaster:
The American Society of Civil Engineers gives the nation’s infrastructure a D+. Its report from 2013 depicts a woeful tale of deferred maintenance. More than 70,000 bridges are in need of repair. We need around US$1.7 trillion for our surface transportation alone.
The week that the D.C. metro was closed, I was in Zurich, Switzerland. The contrast could not have been starker. There, a ticket is good for rail, bus and tram. It is clean and efficient, a widely shared experience and a deep source of pride. Most people in the country use public transport in the cities to get around. It is a vital part of urban public life.
In international comparisons, the U.S. is falling further behind. To fly from either Seoul or Shanghai into Los Angeles airport is to make the journey from a First World to a Third World airport. To fly into New York’s JFK from Zurich or most European capitals is to fly from the future into the past.
Short’s article explains the origin of the crisis, providing facts that form a strong porting of an argument for revitalizing public transit.
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Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo
David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.
* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.
6 responses to Why aren’t we making transportation in America great again?
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Larry Schmitt January 2nd, 2017 at 12:34
The article is old.
“Officials in Washington, D.C. said this week they may have to shut down portions of the Metro subway system for months because its piecemeal approach to maintenance is no longer sufficient.”
Metro has been running what they call “safe track” for months now, so they can replace thousands of ties that should have been replaced years ago. But it will not fix the system, because there is no plan for ongoing maintenance. When they built the system, maintenance wasn’t part of the plan. Hard to believe with a mechanical system with so many moving parts. After “safe track” is completed, they will still have the same problems. And Metro is not the only system with these problems. I know, we’ll get trump to fix it. He’s sure to have a tremendous, terrific plan. It’ll be huge.
Obewon January 2nd, 2017 at 12:58
The plot thickens. Donnie’s $1 T in wealthy taxcuts purportedly for infrastructure vs reality. We need around $1.7 T for 70,000 bridges and our surface transportation alone per ASCE
Repowering infrastructure via clean renewable energy is an integral goal while rebuilding. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5eec713a763bd987008e98228e504d7186d7f6300d63681d77f58924d0b0593f.jpg
Larry Schmitt January 2nd, 2017 at 13:06
His infrastructure plan does not involve actual government spending, but commercial projects that will be privatized to provide profits for his business friends: toll roads, toll bridges, for-profit schools. Some things require direct involvement from the government, even if that means increased debt. This is one. The interstate system can’t be turned into a toll road system. A water treatment plant can’t be run for profit.
Buford2k11 January 2nd, 2017 at 13:09
well…the gop congress stopped anything that PBO and the Democrats put up…even back when we didn’t have to pay any or little interest on loans…the gop is only about hurting others…that is the only explanation that covers all they have done, and all they have refused to do…The plan that trump hinted at, was purely political in nature, and never had any intention of carrying through with it…anyway the plan, was to privatize the profits, and socialize the cost…It was a trap…the Dems almost fell for it…
amersham1046 January 2nd, 2017 at 15:50
Rail, bus or tram will never work, Americans will never get out of their cars, public transit is for poor people
bpollen January 2nd, 2017 at 16:15
We can’t fix our infrastructure when we have rich people needing tax breaks.