by emersonbiggins » Thu 08 Dec 2005, 19:03:03
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cube', 'R')oadways in general don't "pay for themselves" but they are still necessary. That explains why governments throughout history have paid for their upkeep.
Roadways
are necessary. 10-lane freeways, however, probably aren't.
All I am saying (which is soooo far off the thread topic now) is that the wishes of the people aren't being considered when $270m bridges in Alaska are getting built for 50 people at a time. The people of America are, in fact, demanding better mass transit. Even in car-loving Texas, people have voted resoundingly in favor of rail transit in local referendums. Yet these people receive a pittance of the total federal budget because (obviously) the highway lobbyists yell louder. And what senator wouldn't want his name on a bridge?
I think we should treat transit just like we treat highways - as a necessary part of our transportation system. We already treat the insolvent airlines that way - note the billions in subsidies that they receive.
(Those blow-by-blow posts were getting too damn long... -

)