City Transport 2020: The Future Can't Come Soon Enough
by Panos Prevedouros PhD, Fix Oahu!
Here is a sample compilation of technological breakthroughs reported in the second half of May 2013:
INRIX Expands Real-time Traffic Coverage: US, EU. Traffic conditions in Honolulu at noon on May 29, 2013 compiled as a digital layer that can be used by in-vehicle, broadcasting and other means are shown at the end of this article.
New Geography: Driving Trends in Context. Figure 4: Drive alone, carpool, motorcycle and telecommuting are over 90%.
I foresee an epic battle: Google and the Technologists vs. Sierra Club and the Greenies.
Where are the Planners and Transit in this bright future? They are largely Irrelevant!
Back to now: Sadly greenies, liberal politicians and urban (transit) planners continue to waste a huge portion of public and transportation funds on Smart Growth, Rail Starts and Complete Streets. Like the current Plan Bay Area 2040 plan that allocates 62% of the transportation funding to the 10% mode of transportation.(1)
The new wave of automated urban transportation cannot come soon enough!
---------------
Note (1) Plan Bay Area Report: “The analysis for the most recent regional transportation plan, Transportation 2035, suggested that the region’s transit system is not sustainable based on current projections of transit costs and reasonably anticipated revenues. Transportation 2035 identified a region-wide transit capital deficit of $17 billion and operating budget deficits of $8 billion over the next 25 years.” These are staggering deficits for a transportation mode used by 10% of commuters and less than that by non-commuters. Planners acknowledge that these deficits are not sustainable for the community. Yet Plan Bay Area calls for more deficit-making transit.
|