Treehugger interviews New Urbanist Andy Kunz about the state of the nation's train system and plans for a high-speed rail network.
"We are at an important fork in the road: either we continue spending on roads and runways, and see our mobility decrease and get more expensive, or we can refocus our priorities on sustainability, mobility, prosperity and national security."
TreeHugger: "What is wrong with America's transport systems as they exist today?"
Andy Kunz: "There are a number of major issues that have reached crisis level:
• Our national road system and aviation operations are both overloaded past capacity and must be vastly expanded to meet projected demand.
• All systems (rail, roads, bridges, waterways) are in need of huge investment for maintenance upgrades and replacements.
• There is no possible way to double the capacity of our road system or our aviation network to accommodate the projected doubling in travel demand on both systems.
• Our road/car system and aviation operations are the main cause of global warming.
• The entire system is totally dependent on oil – a finite resource that is running out."
Thanks to Andy Kunz
FULL STORY: The TH Interview: Andy Kunz, New Urbanist
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