I talk about this a lot when I discuss transportation policy (not a professional or anything, just been interested in for two decades). People seem to think th

I talk about this a lot when I discuss transportation policy (not a professional or anything, just been interested in for two decades). People seem to think that there is some pendulum that swings in directions when it comes to infrastructure. It's really not. These things happen in cascades. Once a new mode is dominate, it takes over until it outlives it's usefulness and then collapses. The LA Red Car is exactly this scenario, as is long haul rail transportation. And if you've been reading the Chuck Marhon for the last decade, you might see the suburban development pattern leaning toward a similar cascade. I don't see the automobile disappearing from the American city any time soon (the hoi polloi love the idea of the damn things too much even if the hate being in traffic), but you can live car free in so many American cities these days, it's really shocking.