Your personal situation is a dilemma, and the same is true for many who share it.
I'm not sure how far you drive, but is probably under 35 miles. You are arguing that the transportation system should be designed so you can get to work in a certain reasonable amount of time. Would you extend that argument to people who live 50 miles from work? 80? Should our transportation system be designed so that 10% of the people can travel that far? 50%? 80%? We would be buried in roads. We would come to a point where it would be literally impossible to build enough roads, because the roads themselves would take up too much living sapce.
Certain people will always travel farther than others. If society is expected to share the direct and indirect costs of commuting, then a limit has to be placed somewhere. I drive 2 miles to work and my wife drives 9 miles. We both drive cars that get around 20 miles per gallon. What I would like is to have better bus and transit service in the city so that it would be easier to leave the car behind. Even better, I'd like to be able to walk down to the community downtown and go to the hardware store, library, coffee shop and bank. Maybe we will never get back to those days, but subsidizing more and more roads to support more and more travel is not the answer either.
You don't want to hear proposals that imply that the "Sky is Falling", but what if it really IS falling? You can see the evidence of global warming everywhere. Look outside. December Fifth and no snow.
The system of subsidized roads we have built in this country has created serious problems. It is past time to start subsidizing activities that use fewer resources and may lead to a sustainable future. That will mean more inconvenience for people who feel they must drive long distances, but that is the way it should be. Driving needs to be discouraged, and working and living locally needs to be encouraged.
That will be inconvenient for people in your situation, but that is the way it needs to be. Reducing your ability to drive long distances IS part of the solution, though you may not like it.
At 09:31 PM 12/4/2004, Thomas Searles wrote:
Okay, I admit I didn't read the entire proposal that you linked to, but it did nothing to address commuting issues. Proposals are fine and dandy, but any proposal that does not address the real-world where people need to get to work is worthless. Many households in the Metro area have 2 income earners either by choice or necessity. I've worked in the Metro area and have had 5 employers during that time, only one did I choose to leave. Would you have me continually moving each time to be closer to my employer?
I'm looking for solutions, not "The sky is falling" proposals.
Tom Searles Waconia, Twp.
_______________________________________________ Twin Cities Metropolitan Issues Forum http://www.e-democracy.org/tcmetro Rules: Sign posts with real name. You may not post more than twice a day.
