Richardson: 'Fixation' on highways has to stop

[Adelante]

The United States' transportation system is "fixated on highways" and should include more emphasis on energy-efficient modes of travel with planning to ensure preservation of open spaces, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Tuesday.

-snip

"What I am seeing right now is all across the country ... individuals in cities are asking for a more active federal role in not just funding bills to create new highways, but also light rail transportation, commuter rail and open spaces," said Richardson, whose campaign talk was interrupted several times by the rumble of freight trains and a Chicago-bound Amtrak passenger train that rolled past the depot.

Federal transportation policy should include cooperation with state and local governments to find ways to repair the nation's infrastructure to avoid situations such as the collapse of the Interstate Highway 35W bridge in Minneapolis, he added. These improvements should include upgrading the nation's electric grid, he added.

Richardson, a former congressman and energy secretary, also visited Osceola Tuesday, ending a two-day Iowa trip. He generally got good marks from members of the Creston audience.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070905/NEWS09/709050370/-1/RSS22

[marmar]

1. Agreed...He scores major points with me for that statement.

I was driving north on I-75 from downtown Detroit to the northern suburbs at 2 p.m. yesterday, and the freeway was stop-and-go, purely on volume - there was no accident blocking anything. This is madness.

[rurallib]

2. Sometimes Richardson is brilliant

sometimes he acts like he doesn't know where he is.

[sandnsea]

7. That's it exactly

I wonder what that's about. I agree with him on so many things and find him to have the best vision for the fuure. But then, why'd he squirrel out on the voting machines. :crazy:

And then in the debates, it's like you can almost see the squirrels scampering around in there sometimes.

:shrug:

[BattyDem]

9. That pretty much sums him up

Sometimes he impresses me so much and other times I think, WTF? :crazy:

[Warpy]

3. Richardson got commuter rail up and running

along the Rio Grande Valley, something that is long, long overdue. Ridership climbs when gas prices do.

It's not all the way to Santa Fe yet, but it's an ongoing project.

This is one reason I could enthusiastically support him should he be the candidate.

[Ron Green]

4. This is such an important message for a President to speak.

Probably the most important long-term domestic issue (along with medical care), and one we haven't heard from the top since perhaps Carter.

[dtotire]

5. 'Fixation' on highways has to stop

Statement makes a lot of sense.

[seasat]

6. It's common sense ideas like that will have the immediate affect on climate change.

You combine it with increased efficiency in appliance and home insulation, and you can get a pretty quick return. Switching to solar and wind will take decades and require leaps in energy storage technology to be really effective. I'd love to be able to take a bullet train to visit my in laws instead of a 13 hour trip by car. I'd take a light rail system in my city instead of our bus system which takes about an hour for the same trip that only takes me 10 minutes by car.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Get Americans out of their cars and into mass transit...Heresy!

:thumbsup:

[RufusTFirefly]

10. Here, here!

Chiming in to support Richardson's statement as well.

Braess's Paradox (sometimes known as the "Road Network Paradox") says that adding a road to a road network can sometimes actually slow traffic down further.

[barack4prez]

I agree!!

Who needs roads and highways and such. Who does he think he is? What an idiot!! What a jerk!!

[barack4prez]

11. I agree!!

Who needs roads and highways and such. Who does he think he is? What an idiot!! What a jerk!!