<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/06/american-cities-cars-public-transportation>
"The only train station in Houston, the US’s fourth-largest city and one of the
fastest-growing conurbations in the country, is a diminished, morose sight.
Intercity trains arrive at this squat, shed-like Amtrak building, which cringes
in the shadows of roaring highways, just three times a week.
That such a meager train station could ostensibly serve a metropolitan area of
about 7 million people is a stark symbol of how the sprawling, car-dominated US
has fallen behind cities around the world where people can rely on extensive,
high-quality public transport to get around.
The gap is now so large that for major American cities to bring their public
transit up to “world-class” status, it would cost an enormous $4.6tn, involving
7,500 miles of new dedicated infrastructure for trains and buses, over the next
20 years, a recent report found.
American cities languish badly compared with global leaders such as Sydney,
Hong Kong and Barcelona, based on the number of transit vehicles per 100,000
residents, according to the Transportation for America study.
How people get around matters in terms of convenience, but also human and
planetary health. Globally, transportation accounts for about a third of all
planet-heating emissions, with the sector’s emissions doubling since 1990 amid
a growing thirst for oil to power more cars, planes and ships.
With global demand for passenger transport expected to nearly triple by 2050,
an expansion of efficient, affordable public transport is critical in helping
address the climate crisis and toxic air pollution. The need for better public
transit has been underscored, too, by recent soaring gasoline costs that have
hit car drivers around the world."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
