Regarding Transportation Issues

I'm not sure that rail is more efficient than bus. If I am wrong, in my uncertainty, please edify.

Back East, in the USA and northern further eastern reaches, they certainly have enough, if not too much, in the way of rail.

One reason, that I prefer bus to rail is that it seems that it would be easier to make them much quieter. Please correct me, if I am wrong.

In Boston area, for example, the electric? (inefficient use of fuel) and direct power trains can be noisy as HELL, although relatively quiet at low speeds. All this bunk about bullet trains is both incognizant of that and of the terrible risk both in and outside the trains.

My suggestion for Boston, for example is to convert some, if not many, if not all, of the train lines to walking, bicycling, electric? (or at least quiet and relatively slow moving vehicles for the infirm) paths.

Commuter trains must take the human environment into consideration.

Here in Eugene, Oregon, as in most "points" "West", my reply to the AMTRAK corridors, is the same with the additional query, do you all really need to travel those corridors and if so, how often? Again, the issue of a quieter bus comes to mind.

The issue in sprawl communities is best stated relative to the walkability issue (i.e. the non-existence of village centers that would serve muliple beneficial purposes including having the availability of necessities and reasonable wants within walking distance for (almost ( I qualify because there will probably need to be rural exceptions, not to the village center concept, but to the walkability goal)) all.

Of course, new urbanism has been a mantra for some time now, but has been a failure. The reason for the failure has been primarily because it has left the allocation of resources up to the blatantly irrational so-called "free market" system.

Enough for now.

I invite and encourage all to respond, even if it is just in the affirmative (because it is really important and time is of the essence that we go beyond just planning and into the implementation).


In Peace, Friendwalking, Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,

Mike Morin