Lazarus: U.S. public transit improvements will be a tough sell
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 6 August 2009 — Comments Off
David Lazarus — former columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and now writing for the Los Angeles Times — is a defeatist when it comes to sustainable growth: “I hate to be cynical, but I simply can’t imagine political leaders at the local, state or federal level telling voters that they support a big increase in gas taxes, sky-high parking fees and high-density neighborhoods.” (via Streetsblog)
You cannot necessarily disagree with Lazarus — the politics of pushing transit-oriented development is, at times, untenable — however the fight (and battle) is worth the cost. The City of Hercules, the Bay Area, the state of California, and the nation needs a robust public transportation system. Closer to one’s home, the answer is New Urbanism.