Thursday, August 3, 2017

Why we should not build rail on top of #autosprawl

An article about the Purple Line shows why rail is a bad idea now. This article shows the confusion and division created by rail projects. What we should do is make urban buses fare-free and respond to demand. Buses first.

govtech : "It could be that by 2040 Metro and the Purple Line system will have combined to spark thriving new development all along the new route. It’s also possible that by 2040 Metro will have fallen into disuse. But why stop there? Maybe by 2040 driverless cars will have pushed all forms of public transportation off the road. Maybe everyone will be teleporting to work. Maybe anything.

The point is that these things are not just uncertain, but unknowable. Predicting traffic patterns in Maryland in 2040 is about as valid as projecting the increase in horse manure in Manhattan between 1894 and 1930. Anybody who pretends to have precise information is either a fool or a self-interested charlatan."