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At this point in history, I think we really need to stop building in green-fields, farmland, etc. and only concentrate on redevelopment. We are past the point

At this point in history, I think we really need to stop building in green-fields, farmland, etc. and only concentrate on redevelopment. We are past the point of ecological sustainability.

panick21_ 4y ago
This is exactly true. In all honesty the US should never again build a new road or highway. There is already more then enough of both. Its not even close, in fact a huge amount of road needs to be removed, just reclaimed by nature. To give an example, the city of Indianapolis is 'commited' to maintain a road that could go from Indianapolis to Alaska. Like seriously, even if 100% of government revenue was focused on just road maintenance, this wouldn't be possible. Lots of cities have the same situation, way to much infrastructure. Within existing limits of the bay area cities you could easily build like 2 million new houses. Without a single new road, water pipe or anything. This talk by Peter Calthorpe (the guy who invented Transit Oriented Development) about California and the Bay Area: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4 This video about his work in China is also amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4
- mymythisisthis 4y ago
  100s of Billions are needed to just upgrade existing rail to being electric and reliable. Even just upgrading the speed slightly and making rail reliable would be helpful. Most roads, and highways, can be retrofitted with some type of passenger rail. To run alongside cars. No need to build in a greenfield. It's amazing the environmentalists don't report how many new miles of road are put down every year.
  - panick21_ 4y ago
    The best time to electrify the railroads was 100 years ago, the second best time is now. I'm not usually for full public, but in terms of the railroads the government just has to buy all the tracks and operate as an infrastructure provider. Maybe on of the single best choices in Swiss history is the commitment to 100% electrified rail. I honestly didn't even know non electrified rail existed. In my mind it was just 'steam' and then 'electric'. I was pretty old until I for the first time read something about a diesel locomotive and I was totally confused.
- areyousure 4y ago
  > To give an example, the city of Indianapolis is 'commited' to maintain a road that could go from Indianapolis to Alaska. Can you say a little more about this example? I tried about a dozen Google searches (unfortunately on mobile) but could not find anything related.

At this point in history, I think we really need to stop building in green-fields, farmland, etc. and only concentrate on redevelopment. We are past the point of ecological sustainability.

panick21_ 4y ago

This is exactly true. In all honesty the US should never again build a new road or highway. There is already more then enough of both. Its not even close, in fact a huge amount of road needs to be removed, just reclaimed by nature. To give an example, the city of Indianapolis is 'commited' to maintain a road that could go from Indianapolis to Alaska. Like seriously, even if 100% of government revenue was focused on just road maintenance, this wouldn't be possible. Lots of cities have the same situation, way to much infrastructure. Within existing limits of the bay area cities you could easily build like 2 million new houses. Without a single new road, water pipe or anything. This talk by Peter Calthorpe (the guy who invented Transit Oriented Development) about California and the Bay Area: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4 This video about his work in China is also amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUtdFbK4YG4

mymythisisthis 4y ago
100s of Billions are needed to just upgrade existing rail to being electric and reliable. Even just upgrading the speed slightly and making rail reliable would be helpful. Most roads, and highways, can be retrofitted with some type of passenger rail. To run alongside cars. No need to build in a greenfield. It's amazing the environmentalists don't report how many new miles of road are put down every year.
- panick21_ 4y ago
  The best time to electrify the railroads was 100 years ago, the second best time is now. I'm not usually for full public, but in terms of the railroads the government just has to buy all the tracks and operate as an infrastructure provider. Maybe on of the single best choices in Swiss history is the commitment to 100% electrified rail. I honestly didn't even know non electrified rail existed. In my mind it was just 'steam' and then 'electric'. I was pretty old until I for the first time read something about a diesel locomotive and I was totally confused.
areyousure 4y ago
> To give an example, the city of Indianapolis is 'commited' to maintain a road that could go from Indianapolis to Alaska. Can you say a little more about this example? I tried about a dozen Google searches (unfortunately on mobile) but could not find anything related.