5 ms·

Adding to this, we've also abandoned the idea of building out in the middle of nowhere and linking it to a city center with a rail line. I'd gladly buy a cheap

Adding to this, we've also abandoned the idea of building out in the middle of nowhere and linking it to a city center with a rail line. I'd gladly buy a cheap home in the boonies if I could take a train into work instead of driving.

lazypenguin 5y ago
That’s an interesting observation. I’ve always heard the argument that we need “more density” but I like this option as well.
- danans 5y ago
  We do need density at the end of that rail line - dense towns connected to a dense metropolitan hub via a fast rail line. For example Ann Arbor to Detroit, Davis to Sacramento (neither of which have fast rail lines to connect them). What we've built instead for more than half a century is continuous radiating sprawl.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  There is no way the tax base of the boonies can support the initial and operating costs of a rail line. Therefore it is not an option, and why you do not see it anywhere. Even suburbs cannot afford all of their ongoing infrastructure obligations, and why you see many dilapidated areas. This is all becoming apparent now because birthrates have plummeted hence what used to be masked by economic growth due to sheer population growth no longer has the ability to be papered over with increased tax collections due to increased population.
ccheney 5y ago
Minneapolis has the Northstar Line[1] which essentially matches what you're describing here. Unfortunately, there's talk of shutting it down[2] due to low ridership stemming from the pandemic. [1] https://www.metrotransit.org/northstar https://www.metrotransit.org/northstar [2] https://outline.com/smYCML https://outline.com/smYCML (startribune.com paywall)
CapmCrackaWaka 5y ago
I personally believe this will be more common in the future, but I’m less convinced of a rail connection. I think with the increasing popularity of working from home, availability of utilities (satellite internet, solar power) in more rural places and the relative cost of rural land, people will start settling a few hours outside larger cities without having to sacrifice much in terms of quality of life.
ArkanExplorer 5y ago
Its going to be significantly more realistic to retrofit existing roads and highways with machine-readable signage and traffic lights (for example, why do cars have to read traffic lights with cameras, why can't the lights broadcast the status locally?) Then we can run autonomous vehicles (private and corporate) over the same infrastructure.
- erhk 5y ago
  Oh good proprietary traffic signs
Chris2048 5y ago
Or planned cities without private land ownership? The city can sell short term leases, but allow the leases to expire when it's time to re-zone.

lazypenguin 5y ago

That’s an interesting observation. I’ve always heard the argument that we need “more density” but I like this option as well.

danans 5y ago
We do need density at the end of that rail line - dense towns connected to a dense metropolitan hub via a fast rail line. For example Ann Arbor to Detroit, Davis to Sacramento (neither of which have fast rail lines to connect them). What we've built instead for more than half a century is continuous radiating sprawl.
lotsofpulp 5y ago
There is no way the tax base of the boonies can support the initial and operating costs of a rail line. Therefore it is not an option, and why you do not see it anywhere. Even suburbs cannot afford all of their ongoing infrastructure obligations, and why you see many dilapidated areas. This is all becoming apparent now because birthrates have plummeted hence what used to be masked by economic growth due to sheer population growth no longer has the ability to be papered over with increased tax collections due to increased population.

ccheney 5y ago

Minneapolis has the Northstar Line[1] which essentially matches what you're describing here. Unfortunately, there's talk of shutting it down[2] due to low ridership stemming from the pandemic. [1] https://www.metrotransit.org/northstar https://www.metrotransit.org/northstar [2] https://outline.com/smYCML https://outline.com/smYCML (startribune.com paywall)

CapmCrackaWaka 5y ago

I personally believe this will be more common in the future, but I’m less convinced of a rail connection. I think with the increasing popularity of working from home, availability of utilities (satellite internet, solar power) in more rural places and the relative cost of rural land, people will start settling a few hours outside larger cities without having to sacrifice much in terms of quality of life.

ArkanExplorer 5y ago

Its going to be significantly more realistic to retrofit existing roads and highways with machine-readable signage and traffic lights (for example, why do cars have to read traffic lights with cameras, why can't the lights broadcast the status locally?) Then we can run autonomous vehicles (private and corporate) over the same infrastructure.

erhk 5y ago
Oh good proprietary traffic signs

Chris2048 5y ago

Or planned cities without private land ownership? The city can sell short term leases, but allow the leases to expire when it's time to re-zone.