Comments on: 4,000,000 Fewer Vehicles on US Roads in 2009

By: Placemaking Institute

Placemaking Institute — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:57:11 +0000

No matter what the automobile purchasing habits of the US are now or will be in future, because of our societal addiction to the heavily subsidized car+sprawl model for so long, our government’s hands are fiscally tied from providing any solutions – unless one thinks the trend of states and cities being increasingly forced to sell or lease vital transportation infrastructure to private companies is a good thing. And, in the words of Jay Walljasper: “Public transportation use is at the highest level in decades. Buses and trains are overflowing, even after the steep fall of gasoline prices since last summer. Voters last November approved billions of dollars for new transit project across the country. This is all wonderful news for anyone who cares about curbing the global climate crisis, cleaning up the environment and revitalizing our communities. But, unfortunately, transit systems all over the country are cutting back service and raising fares. The New York Times reports that Denver is considering axing one of its light rail lines and several bus routes. St. Louis is planning to cut bus service in half. Even New York, a city where less than half the residents own cars, is looking at eliminating two subway lines and 24 bus routes as well as a whopping 23 percent fare increase. How can this be happening at a time when public transportation is more popular than ever? When it is proving to be a practical solution to pressing economic, ecological and energy problems?”

Because, Jay, our coming to the realization that what we’ve been doing over the course of the past sixty-ish years (since the inception of the FHA in 1949 plus the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956) is most likely a matter of our being too late. This country is in BIG trouble, and we are going to need to get used to recession after recession after recession…what’s coming next?: “Zombie Buildings” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/20/zombie-buildings-are-they_n_365400.html

“Financial reports this month from federal regulators and industry analysts detail a new cycle of uncertainty that they fear could cripple the economic recovery. Billions of dollars in commercial debt will have to be paid back or refinanced at a time when property values have plummeted. About $500 billion will come due in 2010 alone and an equal amount every year through at least 2012, according to the Federal Reserve.”

http://placemakinginstitute.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/contriving-multi-modal-contrivances/

By: Placemaking Institute

Placemaking Institute — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:57:00 +0000

http://placemakinginstitute.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/contriving-multi-modal-contrivances/

By: James

James — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:02:50 +0000

The loss of millions of jobs may be another reason cars are not being registered as operable. Many companies also require that applications be filled out online, so there’s no point driving around putting in applications. Also, with rising minimum wages, employers are hiring less unskilled workers (recent high school and many college graduates).

One of the boons of the internet is the availability of information online. In my field of real estate, I can quickly discount potential properties by researching relevant factors for my clients online: school, crime, proximity to X,Y & Z, neighborhood, even Google Earth the neighbors. This saves a lot of driving (though this may not reduce the number of cars)

By: James

James — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:02:00 +0000

By: Howard Bingham

Howard Bingham — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:59:25 +0000

What a joke & thanks be to over 30 years of neglect, Amtrak the nation’s passenger rail agency get by on a shoestring budget of less than most large city transit agencies.

Those in Europe laugh when Amtrak is mentioned, most third world nations have better transit than the USA.

Yet U.S. Congress in it’s infinite wisdom continues to champion the automobile & airlines as the most green mode of transportation rumbles along on tracks owned by freight railroads in passenger railcars that typically are over 30 years old.. France, Germany, Spain & Belgium are already in 4th or fifth generation of high speed rail & typically spend OVER $ 20. Billion U.S. dollars yearly to maintain what they consider “A Social Necessity”..!

By: Howard Bingham

Howard Bingham — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:59:00 +0000

What a joke & thanks be to over 30 years of neglect, Amtrak the nation’s passenger rail agency get by on a shoestring budget of less than most large city transit agencies.

Those in Europe laugh when Amtrak is mentioned, most third world nations have better transit than the USA.

By: benj haisch

benj haisch — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:12:43 +0000

how is my photo even relevant to your post?

By: benj haisch

benj haisch — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:12:00 +0000

how is my photo even relevant to your post?

By: MD

MD — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:51:50 +0000

“Additionally, as the US becomes more and more urban, as our cities continue to densify”

Haha, playing with that can make one chuckle…

I always figured people living in Washington DC were dense!

By: MD

MD — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:51:00 +0000

“Additionally, as the US becomes more and more urban, as our cities continue to densify”

Haha, playing with that can make one chuckle…

I always figured people living in Washington DC were dense!