Urban railway, not highway, is Lehigh Valley’s future

…The Route 22 Coalition plan is geared to current conditions, not future ones. It assumes a continuation of current trends, an assumption that must be called into question. No one has a crystal ball, but change is a certainty. Today, the stage is set for radical changes in the ways we inhabit and move around in our environment. The Lehigh Valley in 2026 and 2036 will be a very different place, for several reasons.

First, world oil production has probably peaked, and in 2030 may be 30 percent less than today. Alternative fuels like bitumen and ethanol, which will have to make up the difference and meet increased demand, are energy-intensive and will not be cheap substitutes for conventional gasoline. People will continue to drive cars as long as they can afford it, but it’s not certain that individuals or society will be able to afford it much longer (i.e., 10 to 20 years).

Second, greenhouse gas emissions are increasing at a rate such that the effects of climate change, already evident, will have severe impacts on food and water supplies. We may be reaching ”peak food” and ”peak water,” as well as peak oil. Our children may have to decide whether they would rather eat or drive cars that burn ethanol made from corn. Much of our food may have to be grown locally. Every acre of fertile farmland saved now will be a precious gift to the future, so population and job growth must be concentrated in the cities.

Fortunately, some local leaders understand the predicament, and have begun to speak out. Across the country, visionary leaders have accepted the need for prudent planning and are building rail systems as fast as they can: in Denver, St. Louis, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Phoenix.

Morning Call (Lehigh, PA)