Are We Resuscitating a Dinosaur?

A panel of experts weighs in. Is rebuilding rail transit the way of the future, or just reviving a system that should stay extinct?

1 minute read

January 7, 2009, 5:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


"Of course the majority of the 23 commentators answer that the time for transit has come (as it did in all previous oil/global economy crises.) We know that the results were poor from most of those deployments. But learning from history is not a priority in modern society."

Greg Cohen, President and CEO of the American Highway Users Alliance, writes:

"The current funding arrangements are set up so that federal highway user fees subsidize transit expenses -- thus creating the unfortunate reality that transit does compete for funding at the expense of highway programs. It is important for policy makers and the public to recognize that (excluding air travel) between 98 and 99% of all passenger miles and vehicles miles of travel occur of our nation's aging roads. Both private auto use and efficient public transit use in most areas is largely dependent on a good network of safe and efficient roads."

This is the 2nd of 2 parts: the first half of the commentaries can be found here.

Monday, December 29, 2008 in The Hawaii Reporter

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