Comments on: Roads and Bridges http://fortworthology.com/2008/12/08/roads-and-bridges/ Traditional urbanism, smart growth, transit, bicycles, sustainability Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:50:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Streetsblog » The View from Forth Worth http://fortworthology.com/2008/12/08/roads-and-bridges/comment-page-1/#comment-928 Streetsblog » The View from Forth Worth Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:47:56 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=1170#comment-928 [...] on the Streetsblog Network, Kevin at FortWorthology adds to the ongoing debate over how the smart-growth crowd should view Obama's stimulus plan. The way he [...] [...] on the Streetsblog Network, Kevin at FortWorthology adds to the ongoing debate over how the smart-growth crowd should view Obama’s stimulus plan. The way he [...]

]]> By: Robert http://fortworthology.com/2008/12/08/roads-and-bridges/comment-page-1/#comment-927 Robert Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:18:22 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=1170#comment-927 It's two sides of the same coin working toward the same. Those at the ground roots can work to stimulate demand for sustainable infrastructure (mass transit and livable communities) and awareness of the true costs of auto-centric thinking and sprawl while those working at the national level can work to eliminate the incentives to build and live in unsustainable communities: -- raise gas tax -- reduce funding for roads and bridges -- increase foreign auto tariff -- increase funding for mass transit I believe that these kinds of dollars and cents changes are <i>enactable</i> only at the national level are the the key ways to shift the country toward a sustainable architecture. However, you can convince people that there are better ways to live and travel, regardless of what happens nationally. But where are the gains toward that end over the last 8 years? Even with Bush in office, 8 years is a lot of time where we saw sprawl, sprawl, and more sprawl. What happens nationally is key. It’s two sides of the same coin working toward the same. Those at the ground roots can work to stimulate demand for sustainable infrastructure (mass transit and livable communities) and awareness of the true costs of auto-centric thinking and sprawl while those working at the national level can work to eliminate the incentives to build and live in unsustainable communities:

– raise gas tax
– reduce funding for roads and bridges
– increase foreign auto tariff
– increase funding for mass transit

I believe that these kinds of dollars and cents changes are enactable only at the national level are the the key ways to shift the country toward a sustainable architecture. However, you can convince people that there are better ways to live and travel, regardless of what happens nationally.

But where are the gains toward that end over the last 8 years? Even with Bush in office, 8 years is a lot of time where we saw sprawl, sprawl, and more sprawl. What happens nationally is key.

]]> By: Antonia http://fortworthology.com/2008/12/08/roads-and-bridges/comment-page-1/#comment-926 Antonia Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:36:05 +0000 http://fortworthology.com/?p=1170#comment-926 I agree. It's a mixture of pragmatism and self-interest (self here can mean an individual and/or a community) that fuels local improvements; these impeti are somewhat lacking for individuals on the national level(excepting those few as you name with a large amount of interest in national happenings), thus making it a place where focusing huge amounts of energy can be a drain with little reward, creating cynics and other stagnant characters. However, things *happen* on a local level in a way that is not as possible, likely, or life-changing for the resident as those that happen on a national level. I agree. It’s a mixture of pragmatism and self-interest (self here can mean an individual and/or a community) that fuels local improvements; these impeti are somewhat lacking for individuals on the national level(excepting those few as you name with a large amount of interest in national happenings), thus making it a place where focusing huge amounts of energy can be a drain with little reward, creating cynics and other stagnant characters. However, things *happen* on a local level in a way that is not as possible, likely, or life-changing for the resident as those that happen on a national level.

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