Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike

Parents will be grandparents before rail mass transit will be implemented or even expanded in cities where it doesn't already exist; possibilities exist perhaps for expanded bus service, but that may not be high tech enough, or construction heavy enough to appeal to the constituency that often pushes for "investment in mass transit". "Pressing" for massive investment will run into extremely difficult political and financial waters if the benefits are seen as chiefly benefiting those who live in urban areas, especially low income urban areas. You may not like that conclusion but that doesn't change its basic truth. See http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/04/us/04bus.htm for today's example of current trends in mass transit.

The best hope for getting significant results in cutting traffic congestion and motoring contribution to city problems, at relatively low cost, is through positive encouragement of car pooling presumably through tax breaks and parking fees, though other methods might also provide results. It is good for cutting individual costs of commuting too and is an all weather solution for those who can participate.