Originally Posted by
Dave Cutter
Yep. And sooner... or later it all comes to a head as well.
Strange that more people don't see the simply logic of how waste/destruction-generated revenues are inherently unsustainable. Still, I think they are "coming to a head," all the time, only we've come to accept so many forms of degeneracy and destruction in our societies as just normal that we don't stop to think about how intentional forms of waste/destruction help beget others that may be less intentional.
I ride the MUP's and truly do enjoy them. But as I see them expand and grow I know their annual budget must also be doing the same. Sooner or later... the MUP's network will be considered too expensive and sections will be closed and/or shut-off. This is the natural progression of government projects.
The main struggle against MUP's and bike/pedestrian reforms in general comes from the view that driving infrastructure is a necessity and driving must be the ubiquitous form of transportation. Within that paradigm, all forms of infrastructure not for driving are extras that could be cut to save money. Driving infrastructure is viewed as essential and thus immune from cuts, which effectively secures it as a form of waste/destruction that begets further waste/destruction in the form of economic problems that cause governments to perpetually seek to cut other 'extras' like bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
In short, the driving infrastructure is wasteful/destructive, and that's why it can sustain an economy that affords MUP's for everyone to bike and walk everywhere. What needs to happen is for some automotive waste/destruction to be cut back and to replace the mobility lost with greater non-motorized mobility. Many people are afraid of this because they don't recognize the failure of the automotive paradigm. After all, the degenerative culture we have now is tolerated as an inevitability as long as we don't question the paradigm.
Originally Posted by
Walter S
On a selfish note, I've observed a huge increase in wheelchair ramps in my lifetime. They weren't put there for bicycles mind you. But we all benefit don't we?
Yes, I've always thought about that, ever since GW Bush signed in the bill to build so many wheelchair ramps, which I didn't realize at first would benefit cyclists as well.
Originally Posted by
Roody
Anyway, we have a very extensive network of MUPs in my state. Studies have shown that they get good use, attract tourists to a region, and increase property values of adjacent homes and businesses. I guess a lot of people consider them a good investment, even if they never actually use them.
Unfortunately, building them and not using them isn't enough. We don't want to end up with the same forms of economic failure cropping up again and again, only with unused MUP's in the background. We need to reform our daily habits so the automotive economy stays at a sustainably modest level while LCF economic activity is able to flourish because their are no bottlenecks for it to do so.