Debunk or support my theory about Federal Highways versus public transit.

[PinkTiger]

I have a theory, not actually founded on anything I've seen written elsewhere, that many years ago the public transportation system (trains, buses) lost the support of the U.S. Government, and in its place the U.S. Interstate system was created.

What looked like a great idea at the time has created some serious problems: More cars were sold, more gasoline was sold, and we now have massive traffic jams, higher transporation costs, and a system that prefers the rich to the poor -- in many ways.

For example, I have to drive an hour to work and an hour back on an Interstate highway. I'd prefer to ride a train or a bus, but the last passenger train left the station in the 1960s, and buses haven't been running from here to where I work for decades.

The more roads we build, the more gas we buy, the more cars we buy, the more gas we need, etc. A vicious circle of supply and demand.

Why don't we have the trains and the buses? These are cheaper and better for the people than stupid highways!!!!

Comments???

[alexwcovington]

1. No, it's the way cities are built.

Certainly Interstate Highways played a role in the massive sprawl, but that was not how they were originally intended to be used. They were supposed to be city-to-city routes, not commuter avenues.

That function came with Suburban developments... which are the real problem. Go after the greedy land developers. And then the assholes who buy the land who don't want to pay taxes or give up a right-of-way for transit.

[alexwcovington]

3. Check this out

http://advancedtransit.org/

[ewagner]

2. It may be urban legend

but the story was that Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway System in order to mitigate the power of the Railroads. Because he knew that Congress would never buck the Railroad Companies, he did it under the guise of the "National Defense Highway System".

the resulting creation of the Trucking Industry; the dependence on foreign oil; urban sprawl and god knows what else I suspect were unforseen consequences and not any conspiracy.

[Elwood P Dowd]

4. Washington Lobbyists!

Roads, Cars, and Oil. Billions of dollars in easy money. Our government is a business enterprise, not a real government.

[buckeye1]

7. You might prove that.

Bold statements need links here. Can you do it?

[ochazuke]

5. Road builders are public enemy number one.

I think the late supreme court justice William O. Douglas said something like that.

[HawkerHurricane]

6. Interstate Highways, Public Transit, etc etc

The Interstate Highway system (Hawaii has Interstate Highways. Where do they go?) was based on the German Autobahns; and intended to move troops about. Some of the selling points were
a. that every bridge and underpass would have a bomb shelter built underneath
b. many of the roads would be straight and level for use as emergency runways
c. it would encourage people to drive (remember, this was the 50's... airplanes weren't the way to travel cross country yet.)

Public Transit...
Look up the Pacific Electric Railway (Red Car) to see how automobile, gasoline, and tire companies bought out and bankrupted the Los Angeles Mass transit system in the 1940's, BEFORE the interstates were concieved of...