Ethanol Is No Substitute For Real Transportation Planning

The American transportation system is not only dated, but it also has a huge impact on the climate. The favored solution -- ethanol -- is no solution at all, writes New York Observer columnist Nicholas von Hoffman.

1 minute read

April 11, 2007, 10:00 AM PDT

By Michael Dudley


"The other day the French, who we Americans know cannot do anything right, sent one of their trains hurtling down a railroad track at 357 miles per hour. France has more than 1,000 miles of high-speed railroad track. The United States does not have one inch."

"The United States sticks with its climate-warming, congested and inefficient Eisenhower-era transportation system. It was back then that the modern federal highway was begun and it was decided -- perhaps by default -- that cars and airplanes would be the nation's people carriers and choo-choos would chug off to the nearest transportation museum."

"Americans, who seem to spend an ever greater percentage of their waking hours bragging about how much better they are than everybody else, have not noticed they are falling behind."

"The global-warming naysayers would have us believe there is a one-shot, magic cure that will preserve the earth in a coolly livable form without our having to do anything or change our ways or spend any money. For the time being the magic cure is ethanol."

Monday, April 9, 2007 in The Nation

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

3 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

SMall backyard cottage ADU in San Diego, California.

San Diego Votes to Rein in “Towering” ADUs

City council voted to limit the number of units in accessory buildings to six — after confronting backyard developments of up to 100 units behind a single family home.

3 hours ago - NBC San Diego

Large tower under construction with crane with American and Texas flags in downtown Austin, Texas against sunset sky.

Texas Legislature’s Surprising Pro-Housing Swing

Smaller homes on smaller lots, office to apartment conversions, and 40% less say for NIMBYs, vote state lawmakers.

4 hours ago - The Texas Tribune

Red brick five-story multifamily housing building in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Even Edmonton Wants Single Staircase Buildings

Canada's second most affordable major city joins those angling to nix the requirement for two staircases in multi-family buildings.

5 hours ago - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)