ATI The Alliance for Traffic Improvement |
Seeking cost effective ways to reduce traffic congestion on Oahu |
The Left gets it Right: Here’s a few excerpts from “The Politics of Gridlock” The Progressive Policy Institute, proponents of the ‘third
way,’ have just released a 14-page critique of: “… the congestion
coalition (a small, but extremely influential anti-highway, anti-car, and
anti-suburban coalition) has changed the focus of transportation policy from
one expanding supply to one of restraining demand and getting people out of
cars.” p. 117. “The Politics of Gridlock” is written by Rob Atkinson, Vice President of PPI. He contrasts the dominance of the current anti-auto coalition with the 1968 Democratic Party Platform, which read: “still more superhighways are needed for safe and rapid motor transport.” He says, “It would be easy to underestimate the influence of the anti-auto coalition. Through masterful use of rhetoric and oversimplified analysis, they have succeeded in dramatically influencing not just federal, state, and local polices, but the entire orientation of the transportation debate. Terms and phrases like “smart growth,” “increasing access to choices instead of building freeways,” and “sustainable, holistic solutions” sound great. Yet for much of the movement, these are code words that mask an anti-automobile, antihighway agenda.” p. 122. “For this ‘third way’ to succeed, it will have to … focus
on expanding the supply of transportation, including building and expanding
roads, making the current system more efficient (including instituting pricing
mechanisms and using intelligent transportation technology of all sorts).” p.
127. “… with most Americans preferring single-family homes,
and with new information technologies giving businesses more locational
freedom, the old economy’s urban-centered system will never be revived. As a
result, it makes no sense to have a transportation policy predicated on a view
of the world that looks backward, not forward.” p. 127. “The anti-road coalition has incorrectly diagnosed
congestion as a problem of too many cars. Influential, but misguided analysts,
like Brookings Institution’s Tony Down[s], author of Stuck in Traffic, and
countless environmental advocates have led most Americans to incorrectly
believe that infrastructure expansion will not reduce congestion. Moreover, the
anti-supply forces actively oppose expansion of transportation infrastructure.
Given this fierce opposition to the expansion of roads and highways, it is no
wonder that transportation officials take the easy way out: adding HOV lanes,
repairing roads and bridges instead of building new ones, improving the
aesthetics of highways, etc. Progressives should define congestion as a problem
of inadequate infrastructure. They should support an array of policies designed
to give Americans the world-class transportation infrastructures they deserve, including
public transit, biking and walking trails, and expanded and less congested
roads.” p. 128. For the full 14-page article, click here: “The Politics of Gridlock” |