On Wed, 9/17/08, Andy Goodell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
"We don't need new infrastructure and we don't need expensive new systems.. So
far ocean liners, locomotives, dirigibles, airplanes, and personal cars have
all seen their peak moments and are proving to be oney sinks that only cost
more as time goes on. To fantasize that podcars are any different seems a bit
irrational to me. It was neat to
get the information, but I still strongly favor on the side of relocalization
rather than creating new ways to get around that require such an investment and
enormous system to be functional.
I agree with Andy.
I for one don't find anything sustainable about spending $20-$30 million or so
to build the type of "personal rapid transit" podcare system that was being
hawked at the conference, particularly when you multiply that figure by
hundreds of other cities across the U.S. that are the size of Ithaca or larger
and hence would have the same type of system.
And who will build these systems? Certainly not local companies, but rather
some big multinational corporation, and probably not one with the high-paying
design, engineering and skilled production jobs located here in the US.
Also the reality of demographics and systems costs - both construction and
operating costs - require minimum residential development densities of
15-20 dwellings per acre, which would be 3-4 times the existing densities in
Ithaca city proper, and 6-10 times the existing residential densities in the
Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights, Ellis Hollow, Lansing and other
suburban paradises.
Given the responses to previous posts by me on the subject of residential
densities, I don't see THAT happening in Ithaca and Tompkins County.
Of course if Ithaca and the hundreds of other similar size cities in the
country were to evolve into denser, more compact communities, we could pretty
much eliminate the need for cars and the need completely for podcar systems and
their costs, since almost all residents would be within easy walking distance
of about any place they need or want to go to, and we could have a bus system
schedule that provides for pick-ups every 10-15 minutes, not every hour or two.
George Frantz
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