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I hate driving to the city because I loathe these stroads but I don't see a way out. The ship has sailed, the roads are built. I don't think there is enough mon

I hate driving to the city because I loathe these stroads but I don't see a way out. The ship has sailed, the roads are built. I don't think there is enough money to build ourselves out of this. This is the problem I see with most infrastructure in US. We overshot so much that the burden of maintenance is too great. It's easier to build once than maintain indefinitely.

mcv 5y ago
The ship hasn't sailed. Yes, the roads are built, but they can be changed. New roads are constructed every day, and they could be better. And better roads will eventually save money, because of less accidents and more efficient land use. And they will bring in more money because they attract and enable more businesses and increase the value of land. It's still a good investment to look for improvement.
- TrispusAttucks 5y ago
  I have great respect for your optimism.
  - Vinnl 5y ago
    The good news is that the Netherlands has come a long way too. It used to be far more car-centric, but over the years has steadily made improvements as part of ongoing maintenance. And now we're at the point where we're even re-digging canals that had been paved over for a 12-lane motorway [1] in the 70s. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/14/utrecht-restores-historic-canal-made-into-motorway-in-1970s https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/14/utrecht-restor...
    - timwaagh 5y ago
      That road was a failed experiment. There's no parking space in the center. there aren't any big access roads towards it. There was little logic supporting a broad, short road to nowhere.
      - Vinnl 5y ago
        Yeah of course, but it does demonstrate how much of a U-turn infrastructure thinking in the Netherlands has made. We came from thinking such a road was a good idea (and paving that canal was a big offer to make for such an experiment), to creating the infrastructure we have today.

mcv 5y ago

The ship hasn't sailed. Yes, the roads are built, but they can be changed. New roads are constructed every day, and they could be better. And better roads will eventually save money, because of less accidents and more efficient land use. And they will bring in more money because they attract and enable more businesses and increase the value of land. It's still a good investment to look for improvement.

TrispusAttucks 5y ago
I have great respect for your optimism.
- Vinnl 5y ago
  The good news is that the Netherlands has come a long way too. It used to be far more car-centric, but over the years has steadily made improvements as part of ongoing maintenance. And now we're at the point where we're even re-digging canals that had been paved over for a 12-lane motorway [1] in the 70s. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/14/utrecht-restores-historic-canal-made-into-motorway-in-1970s https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/14/utrecht-restor...
  - timwaagh 5y ago
    That road was a failed experiment. There's no parking space in the center. there aren't any big access roads towards it. There was little logic supporting a broad, short road to nowhere.
    - Vinnl 5y ago
      Yeah of course, but it does demonstrate how much of a U-turn infrastructure thinking in the Netherlands has made. We came from thinking such a road was a good idea (and paving that canal was a big offer to make for such an experiment), to creating the infrastructure we have today.