The past is a poor predictor of the future. In the past the NYC subway was an almost unusable mess overrun with graffiti, trash, and hoodlums. Changing the fa

The past is a poor predictor of the future. In the past the NYC subway was an almost unusable mess overrun with graffiti, trash, and hoodlums. Changing the fare gates and being aggressive about patrols and cleanup turned things around. Obviously different methods will be needed to fix subway construction, but the idea that the most recent construction effort had problems means all future construction will have the same or worse problems is not necessarily correct. The article is not about construction costs but the essentials of urban design.