A question for the pro-train crowd:
Given development for the past 50+ years, large swaths of American cities aren't dense. This makes light rail and the like more expensive since you have X people living within a short distance of a train station rather than 3X (a rough comparison of Houston and Berlin's densities)
With that in mind, how would you propose creating a mass transit system without bankrupting cash strapped states and municipalities?
The best I can come up with is making heavy use of existing infrastructure by encouraging commuter friendly buses and so on.
How would I want to pay for transit development? Double or triple the gas tax, vehicle registration taxes, carbon tax, income taxes and bold Federal spending on infrastructure. I would also pair that with fast track authority to skip EIR and other red tape to cut down costs.
The interstate highway system cost a half trillion dollars. Why not try a program like that which focused on sustainable mass transit and infrastructure?
The next 50 years could see American cities like Phoenix and Denver and Houston become more dense if we're willing to go in that direction. And, it would also address our highway congestion problems even if not everyone can use mass transit. Every person who takes the bus or light rail to work means more available road space for highway commuters.
You're right that the critical piece is density. When you have a critical mass of density, you allow walking and biking to work and mass transit makes sense. You do have unique challenges in cities like Houston where the climate is disgusting and people are going to sweat profusely if they don't travel in an air conditioned bubble. Biking to work or taking light rail is much more comfortable in Amsterdam or Paris than Phoenix.
It's ultimately a matter of choices I guess, and we need to realize that staying the same is a conscious choice.
