With $50B, I'd focus on building an autonomous vehicle network. Here's how: 1. create autonomous vehicle road network by both creating new roads and retrofitti

With $50B, I'd focus on building an autonomous vehicle network. Here's how: 1. create autonomous vehicle road network by both creating new roads and retrofitting existing roads with physical barriers where desirable. This would be similar to building rail lines in places (say elevated or tunnels), except with much more flexibility. 2. put up a RFP/challenge to auto manufacturers for fleet of autonomous electric vehicles, likely of a few types for different passenger loads (2-10) and needs (disabled access, small cargo). 3. put up a RFP/challenge to build efficient routing backend for fleet. 4. put up a RFP/challenge for both card-based (for those without smartphones) and app-based pickup and destination setting, as well as car interface to handle route changes. Plan financially for frequent improvements due to rapid tech changes. 5. create infrastructure of very small depots throughout city where autonomous charging as well as manned cleaning & minor repairs could happen. 6. rope in social services to have progressive prices based on income, allowing typical subsidies for seniors, disabled, low income, etc. Here’s why: * Separate lanes are helpful for near term autonomous vehicles that are not as good at avoiding things. They’re also good as a backup for smaller human-driven busses in the shorter term as the autonomous vehicle development ramps up. * Can use existing highways, sectioning off a separate lane and creating select off-ramps to connect to autonomous road network. * Roads are cheaper per mile than rail. * Rather than large highway tunneling projects (oh seattle…), can build small one-way tunnels over certain stretches where useful - say a few blocks that typically have terrible traffic. * Smaller vehicles with fewer passengers helps the inconvenience factor and last-mile problem of busses by providing flexibility in pickup/drop-off locations * smaller vehicles and more convenience in locations helps to improve public image - it’d be like uber/lyft but without the traffic. * Kickstarts rapid improvement in autonomous vehicle industry by being a large customer, which can benefit city with better tech over time (vs aging train cars). * Adds useful infrastructure for the future where private fleets and privately owned cars can participate with their own autonomous vehicles. Essentially, it allows for a phase-out of publicly owned/run autonomous vehicle fleets in the future, were that to be something that makes sense. I could see GM/Lyft and Uber being bidders in this process, among other auto manufacturers. There may even be an opportunity to own less of the fleet and simply rent at a particular per mile rate. In short: spend money on the future of transportation, not the past.