While mass transit is “showing signs of life” as the numbers start to rebound, cities across the country have historically invested heavily in transit linking downtown business districts to suburbs — but downtowns now are half as full as they used to be, he said. Meanwhile, newer projects built through lighter density neighborhoods tend to come with higher costs and lower returns. And Americans often choose to drive their cars whenever possible, Bloom added.

Gee, I wonder why. If we invested half as much in transit as we do car infrastructure then maybe people wouldn’t “choose” to take their cars everywhere.

  • @curveOPMEnglish
    4•1 year ago

    “Obviously, nothing in America works well without cash. You need money,” Bloom said. “You need the kind of sustained investment in both operating and capital over decades. Then you can offer the first-class rail and buses but also the frequency and the quality of service that will make people say ‘I can live in this apartment’ or ‘I can give up my car.’ I don’t think there are a ton of places in the U.S. you can say that."

    Exactly.