http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/america-in-gridlock/video-the-big-dig/5/ Blueprint America | PBS Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:32:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/america-in-gridlock/video-the-big-dig/5/comment-page-1/#comment-20 bob previdi Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:25:52 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=5#comment-20 When it comes to making a desision about investment, whether it is to rebuild, or start a new, I always consider what the current and future ridership or usage might be. I think all too often we replace things in kind or think about expanding a road or highway without considering a mode shift. For my entire life I have seen one hour delays at the Lincoln Tunnel in the morning rush hour. Why have we have not found a way to reduce the flow of cars into NYC? It is not fair to those who live and where here. State Senator Liz Kruger is looking into this and is working with Fred Kent at Project for Public Spaces. Fred argues that we need to consider that if we design places for cars and traffic, we get cars and traffic. If you design places for people you get people. In Jill Jones book, Conquering Gotham, she outlines the story of building Penn Station. Did you know that Alexander Casset, former president of the Pennsylvania RR wanted to buid a bridge instead of a tunnel into Penn Station - that would have had 14 tracks over it? Now that would have handled the growth demands of NJ and NY! We can find solutions, the problem is the political will to move away from designing with automobiles. So much of our economy is tied to the auto and oil business that by itself is perpetuating the problem. we have to find a way to make it in their best interest to find ways to make mass transit work and encourge less driving. Can an industry remake itself? I think in the US we can! When it comes to making a desision about investment, whether it is to rebuild, or start a new, I always consider what the current and future ridership or usage might be. I think all too often we replace things in kind or think about expanding a road or highway without considering a mode shift.
For my entire life I have seen one hour delays at the Lincoln Tunnel in the morning rush hour. Why have we have not found a way to reduce the flow of cars into NYC? It is not fair to those who live and where here.
State Senator Liz Kruger is looking into this and is working with Fred Kent at Project for Public Spaces. Fred argues that we need to consider that if we design places for cars and traffic, we get cars and traffic. If you design places for people you get people.
In Jill Jones book, Conquering Gotham, she outlines the story of building Penn Station. Did you know that Alexander Casset, former president of the Pennsylvania RR wanted to buid a bridge instead of a tunnel into Penn Station – that would have had 14 tracks over it? Now that would have handled the growth demands of NJ and NY!
We can find solutions, the problem is the political will to move away from designing with automobiles. So much of our economy is tied to the auto and oil business that by itself is perpetuating the problem.
we have to find a way to make it in their best interest to find ways to make mass transit work and encourge less driving. Can an industry remake itself? I think in the US we can!

]]>