EDITOR’S VIEWPOINT/Investment in rail is an idea on the right track
The Atlanta roadbuilders are getting mean. They are upset because environmentalists have filed suit to keep them from doing what they love to do — throw concrete and asphalt on everything that can’t get out of their way. The environmentalists are insisting that the city comply with federal clean air mandates.
So the roadbuilders are fighting back using the most powerful weapon known to modern man — television. One commercial shows a nice white lady getting out of her nice mini-van with her nice soccer-uniformed little boy. “Don’t let environmental activists take away your right to live where you want and drive when you want,” urges the voice-over.
Then there’s an image of downtown that looks only slightly better than the city in “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,” which shows (how horrible is this?) black people getting off a bus!
Well, I don’t have to be hit over the head to get that one. Cars=success. Public transportation=bad.
The United States is a country that worships cars. Cars — and our brilliant network of roads — have allowed us a freedom unknown in history. But they also have given us spectacularly bad air, and they have contributed significantly to sprawl and the resulting decline of many cities.
Public transportation, particularly rail, obviously is the answer, but it gets short shrift from federal and state legislators who have lots of fun parties and go to many cool places compliments of America’s roadbuilders. According to Amtrak, which bases its information on spending figures from the International Union of Railways in Paris, population numbers from the Information Please Almanac and exchange rates from Yahoo.com, the United States ranks just below Estonia — Estonia? — in spending on rail. The good news is that we are ahead of Tunisia.
The National League of Cities wants to change that. It is urging passage of a bill that would provide $12 billion over 10 years for the issuance of Amtrak bonds for investment in high-speed rail initiatives. NLC also supports increased financing for passenger rail. The organization believes that both are critical to the elimination of the congestion that clogs the nation’s roads.
Critics of public transportation initiatives argue that Americans are wedded to their cars and have no intention of seeking a divorce. But last year, more people than ever used all modes of public transportation, according to preliminary figures released by the American Public Transportation Association. In fact, usage grew by about 320 million rides in 2000, and it has grown steadily over the past five years.
NLC wants you to let Washington know that you support efforts to expand and improve rail transit. That will give the roadbuilders with their creepy commercials something to choo-choo on.