By: Chira

Chira — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:30:06 +0000

I wonder what the % split actually is between public transit advocates (like me) and those who are vehemently opposed to further development of the public transit system at this time? When Brianc says the highway lovers need the cooperation of people who are willing to pay more taxes, I fear that they don’t worry about that at all. Right now, with gasoline prices hovering around $4/gallon, I believe that many middle-ground people will continue to side with the highway lovers and neglect the development of something they will essentially need in the near future. For example, the announcement of the new “discovery of oil” in the Gulf of Mexico is essentially meaningless, because the oil reserves estimated in that discovery will supply only 28 days of U.S. demand/consumption. There is also a floating ad on internet about how the U.S./Canada have these vast reserves of tar sand oil that can be developed and used as a “domestic source of oil.” But people don’t realize how difficult and expensive tar sand oil is to develop and produce, and then refine. Lots of time and $$ and LOTS of environmental damage wrt water resources, air pollution, and land degradation, PLUS a much higher price/gallon. It would be better to reserve future U.S. oil discoveries to their use in petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, and get on with development of alternate energy sources and public transit. I hope the highway lovers will realize what a corner we are painted into at this time with our limited and disintegrating rail infrastructure before the day comes when they realize how much they need it.

By: Brianc

Brianc — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:48:10 +0000

As a public transit advocate pointed out to me, the people who want more asphalt find themselves in the position of needing the cooperation of people who are willing to pay more taxes–and generally those people want more rail, not more roads.

Comments on: Larger Rail Projects to the ‘Burbs in Jeopardy?

By: Chira

By: Brianc