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The US wasn’t always built around the car. Various decisions transformed it, such as the highway act in 1956. Different decisions can be just as transformative.
by al_borland 1y ago
The US wasn’t always built around the car. Various decisions transformed it, such as the highway act in 1956. Different decisions can be just as transformative.
Amsterdam was crowded with cars in the 1970s. Several decades later, it’s a model many look to for how to design cities that aren’t centered around cars.
It won’t happen overnight, nor will it happen by accident, but it cities can and do change.
- b3ing 1y agoThis country won’t change, everything is about making money, healthcare, etc
- bigyabai 1y agoBefore the motor vehicle, this country was designed for horses and carriages. I don't know what you're getting at here, shared public transport and bicycling has always been a second-class citizen in America. I don't see how that can change.
- al_borland 1y agoIt just requires the political will to make it happen. Sadly, politics in the US is currently more about fighting against each other than finding common ground to move things in a positive direction. Until that changes, you’re right, it won’t change. On a local level, I have seen some attempts. I have some protected bike lanes around me, and the nearest big city is putting in a 20+ mile greenway around the city for bikes and pedestrians. These things were unheard of 20 years ago. However, all of this stuff has to reach a certain tipping point before the average person will use it. It’s a very much “build it and they will come” situation… and until that tipping point, everyone will simply be upset by the road diets, because the incomplete vision isn’t offsetting any traffic yet.