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...with lax safety standards and little consideration for property rights. We could build the Melbourne - Sydney high speed rail line in 3 years if we didn’t c

...with lax safety standards and little consideration for property rights. We could build the Melbourne - Sydney high speed rail line in 3 years if we didn’t care about a) the people who built it or b) the people whose houses were in the way.

FreakyT 8y ago
The property rights one always bothers me; it seems to me that if you're right where a necessary transport link needs to be, you should of course be fairly compensated, but ultimately you shouldn't have any say/choice in the matter. Ridiculous obstacles like this are, IMO, a major part of why the US is seemingly completely paralyzed when it comes to constructing any major transit projects.
- richardbrevig 8y ago
  The US government does have the power to seize private property for the public's benefit, it's called Eminent Domain [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain
  - mikeash 8y ago
    One problem is that historically it somehow turned out that poorer, blacker people tended to be the ones in the way of big transportation projects. A lot of the backlash has roots in real abuses.
adinobro 8y ago
Property rights still exist but since it only became a concept about 80 years ago lots of property still belongs to the government and they can generally give you something worth more than your current property.
A2017U1 8y ago
How many would benefit vs how many are inconvenienced? Seems like the beneficiaries easily outnumber the few who lose out.
- Viliam1234 8y ago
  Another benefit would be that people would pay much greater attention to local politics. You would need to make sure that the bus road goes through your neighbor's house, not your house. Whoever ignores the local democracy, loses their house; that is a powerful incentive for participation. What could possibly go wrong?
- jen729w 8y ago
  Easily said if you’re not one of the latter category, I suppose. I am all for the compulsory purchase of property for very large infrastructure projects like this. Protection of worker safety is less negotiable. Pertinent to this discussion, if you haven’t seen the wonderful Aussie film ‘The Castle’, you should. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqT_l7QcBM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqT_l7QcBM

FreakyT 8y ago

The property rights one always bothers me; it seems to me that if you're right where a necessary transport link needs to be, you should of course be fairly compensated, but ultimately you shouldn't have any say/choice in the matter. Ridiculous obstacles like this are, IMO, a major part of why the US is seemingly completely paralyzed when it comes to constructing any major transit projects.

richardbrevig 8y ago
The US government does have the power to seize private property for the public's benefit, it's called Eminent Domain [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain
- mikeash 8y ago
  One problem is that historically it somehow turned out that poorer, blacker people tended to be the ones in the way of big transportation projects. A lot of the backlash has roots in real abuses.

adinobro 8y ago

Property rights still exist but since it only became a concept about 80 years ago lots of property still belongs to the government and they can generally give you something worth more than your current property.

A2017U1 8y ago

How many would benefit vs how many are inconvenienced? Seems like the beneficiaries easily outnumber the few who lose out.

Viliam1234 8y ago
Another benefit would be that people would pay much greater attention to local politics. You would need to make sure that the bus road goes through your neighbor's house, not your house. Whoever ignores the local democracy, loses their house; that is a powerful incentive for participation. What could possibly go wrong?
jen729w 8y ago
Easily said if you’re not one of the latter category, I suppose. I am all for the compulsory purchase of property for very large infrastructure projects like this. Protection of worker safety is less negotiable. Pertinent to this discussion, if you haven’t seen the wonderful Aussie film ‘The Castle’, you should. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqT_l7QcBM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqT_l7QcBM