Urban Transprotation Issues in the United States
1106 Words5 Pages
Transportation systems are what support the high levels of accumulation and concentration within cities. The bigger the city, the more complex its urban problems are if not properly managed. The largest transportation problems occur when public transportation systems fail to fulfill the many requirements of urban mobility. Urban efficiency is highly dependent on its transportation systems to move consumers, labor, and goods from one point to another. The most outstanding urban transportation issues in the United States are: traffic congestion, longer commuting, inadequacy of public transport, green transportation difficulty, and good distribution (Rodrigue).
Many of these problems occur because of the United States’ dependency on the automobile. Statistics show that when given the choice, individuals prefer using an automobile due to its convenience, comfort, and speed. Also, it is shown that many households have more than one automobile (U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey). Automobile dependency is caused by underpricing and planning and investment practices by cities (Rodrique). Because the automobile is the most commonly used method of transportation, cities tend to allocate all the money for transportation to improve roads and parking areas for automobiles (Radziner). This causes funding for other transportation methods to be pushed to the side. Also, consumers do not bear the full price of driving automobiles because most road infrastructures are subsidized. This causes overuse and congestion. Congestion occurs when the demand for transportation surpasses the supply. Not only does excessive use of the automobile affect congestion and traffic circulation, but it also leads to a decrease...
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...s in Prospect Park, and expanded the bicycle network. New York City and the MTA have implemented a new Bus Rapid Transit routes, with more than twenty new lines to link underserved communities. This Rapid Transit system has saved many outer-borough commuters a lot of time and has stimulated the economies of communities the subway does not reach. Blasio is also planning on working with the Port Authority to build a federal-funded Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel that will ultimately take thousands of trucks off the streets, reducing traffic and increasing economic competitiveness (NYMTC).
Overall, both Los Angeles and New York City realize that public transportation is lacking and are working to improve it slowly. Funding seems to be the main issue for both cities, which is why strategic and innovative planning is necessary for taking any steps toward major improvement.