Most of the US is sprawl and seems to be adequately handling maintenance. Density is not a necessary precondition for economical maintenance...NYC's subway syst

Most of the US is sprawl and seems to be adequately handling maintenance. Density is not a necessary precondition for economical maintenance...NYC's subway system is in a shambles despite the highest density in the US, and mostly affluent residents. Only a few places in the US have both sprawl and very high labor costs. It would be a crisis if the entirety of the US resembled Palo Alto and had similar costs...but this isn't the case.