That was exactly my point: A lot of the US is laid out in a way that is pessimal for mass transit — "hellscapes," as you put it — so investing in public transit

That was exactly my point: A lot of the US is laid out in a way that is pessimal for mass transit — "hellscapes," as you put it — so investing in public transit infrastructure doesn't seem like enough to make a big difference. The problem isn't just a lack of investment, but also that mass transit isn't very well suited to America as it exists today. Any proposal to make public transit happen in America that doesn't address this seems pretty unrealistic to me.