America is Playing Catch-Up

America is Playing Catch-Up

America has been viewed as the world leader since the 1950‘s. The US has had one of the best economies, some of the best opportunities, and almost the best standard of living. That doesn’t mean that America is number one at everything though. Sometimes the US doesn’t even come close. Take transportation for example; since the highways were built, funding for public transportation has been cut in half. This has lead to the US falling behind in the public transportation sector. Other countries have since surpassed us in their transportation systems. America is not a world leader in public transportation. America is playing catch-up.

In the US public transportation is atrocious. Lots of cities have very limited transportation due to lack of funding, and the cities that claim have transportation have terrible systems to boast. In Atlanta, the Metro-Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has an extensive network of bus stops and train stops, but none of which function to the best of their ability. People in certain areas are limited by the effect of urban sprawl and rapid outward development (Bullard). This creates poor public transportation conditions. In the US few cities have a good, let alone a great standard of public transportation. One of the few is the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver. This is considered one of the best systems in the US, but it is still effected by urban sprawl, and lack of funding. If the US doesn’t begin to fund and support more public transportation,the lack of mobility is going to cause the US to fall behind. Thus America is playing catch-up with the rest of the world, especially Europe.

In Europe public transportation is how people get around. The train and bus systems in place in Europe are far superior in effectiveness and efficiency than in the US. This is partly to due with the high gas prices, but mainly to do with the more advanced public transportation development in Europe. Spain is especially exceptional in their efforts to be a world leader in public transportation. They are the number one leader in light-rail transportation in the world. Six out of the eight leading companies that are developing light-rail transportation are located in Spain (Blueprint America). As time continues, when other areas in the world start to develop their own public transportation, they will look to Spain for guidance instead of the US.

So America needs to realize that it is falling behind in the transportation sector of development. Once the US realizes this, it then needs to jump on the opportunity to get “back in the game”. Instead of playing catch-up with Spain and the rest of Europe, the US should engage in more public transportation development. Funding should be implemented, at least until the private sector takes over as they have in Spain. The US needs to begin taking steps to become a world leader again, and the investment in public transportation is a perfect opportunity for the US to do so. America needs to stop playing catch-up, and start winning the race.

Bullard, Robert D., Glenn S. Johnson, and Angel O. Torres. Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in Atlanta. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2000. Print.

Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City. Thirteen, 08 Feb. 2010. Web. 18 Sept. 2011 <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/beyond-the-motor- city/video/939/>

The Focal Point of Infrastructure Revolution

America has fallen from its pedestal as the most competitive economy in the world. Gradually, countries such as Brazil, China, India, and Singapore have grown to the point where they are competing neck to neck with the United States. The Euro has become the more powerful than the dollar, and America has become almost a laughing stalk in terms of competitive edge. Many of the luxuries that Americans enjoy are created by businesses centered in other countries. Major car companies, such as Kia, BMW, Toyota, and Nissan are more commonly driven on American roads than American based car companies such as General Motors and Ford. My mother drives a Toyota and has a Mercedes, my car is a Lexus RX300, and my father drives a BMW. All of these are foreign cars. America does not manufacture like it once did. Detroit was formally known as an international power in the auto industry, but now the entire city is struggling economically. With the amount of focus that the American government places on automobile industries, to the point where the government bailed out General Motors when it was on the verge of dying, one would think that Americans would be more motivated to use American made cars. We are an automobile dependent country, so why would we rely on other countries’ auto industries to provide the cars we used? The American government should do more to provide modes of transportation for its citizens, whether it is by creating alternate forms of transportation from automobiles or to support American based auto industry.

America has no internationally significant mode of transportation that makes it stand out. Compared to the convenience of the Euro Rail in Europe, or the light rails in Spain, transportation in America is really inefficient. In Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City, the topic of redesigning the infrastructure of the city is discussed heavily. The situation in Detroit is significant because it represents a start to complete change of many cities. Detroit developing a good public transportation system will trigger the start of a new look at the city. Imagine a Detroit with good public transportation. Hopefully as a result, the streets will be clearer of cars, which would make walking safer for pedestrians. More communities will grow closer together, due to the growing social encounters since everyone is no longer isolated by their cars. The money from the transportation system, whether bus, train, or street car will go to benefit the city. With the potential for advancement in Detroit, the success of the model will encourage other cities to develop and improve their public transportations. Cities like Atlanta will work to improve the bus and train system, making it more accessible for everyone, saving much time and money for each individual. What is required for this change though, is a starting point, and In Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City argues that Detroit can be the focal point for this necessary change. Perhaps a trigger in one city can spread a revolution of transportation infrastructure. It would not be a bad thing at all.

Resources:

Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City. Dir. Aaron Woolf. Prod. PBS. 2010. Film.

America: Driving in Circles

Years ago, America was at the tip of technology and leading the world with innovation as the car became more and more popular. Unfortunately, today that is not the case. America is caught in the past and unable to move forward, yet that is exactly what we must do in order to improve transportation and ultimately our society. Our country is too focused on cars, mainly because that is what it was built around, yet we have the opportunity to look towards other European countries and cities for assistance. These countries are already more dependent on public transportation and are continuing to move in that direction. Here, we have the choice to leave our car-ridden lives and improve public transportation by following their lead.

It has become apparent throughout this course that America relies on cars for transportation but it is now time for the country to move away from this form of transport. America is stuck on cars. They were a booming industry and were beneficial to this country for many years, but are now becoming a burden. As seen in Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City, Detroit is a great example of how cars have led to the downfall of city life. With more and more highways interrupting communities and separating neighborhoods, those without cars are left behind. Not only that but people who live in suburban areas rarely have any option aside from owing a car. This trend has only led to poor transportation and more social and health problems due to inequity, construction, pollution, and separation of communities. America used to be on top due to cars and because of that we have not moved away from them even though they are now detrimental. One reason for this could be that many of our cities have developed around the idea that cars are the main form of transport. For instance, Detroit is the “motor city” and eventually got rid of nearly all of its public transportation and focused just on the automobile (Blueprint America). It is time for America to begin a new era focused around public transportation just as our European counterparts are starting to do.

Overseas, many communities have much more effective public transportation and are still developing plans which America should model to improve our mobility issues. Europe never became quite so car dependent as America is which may be a very viable reason as to why it is much easier for them to map out the future of their public transportation systems. However, they have still had much greater public transport for a long time, especially their metro and train systems. Spain is in the midst of developing a cutting edge, high-speed train arrangement that extends to within reasonable distance of 90% of their population (Blueprint America). This increases the productivity and mobility of a large amount of residents since the trains are affordable and convenient. In addition to all of this, it also increases the connectivity between communities and the country, as a whole. Many transportation experts from around America have already begun to research this idea and investigate the logistics behind it and I believe that is a great step towards advancing our own transportation.

In conclusion, our nation needs to take a step back and realize that we must leave our past accomplishments behind and build off of new and advantageous ideas. Cars have been a growing affliction for too long now and it is time to rely more upon public transportation. In order to accomplish this our infrastructure would need various changes to be made and a reliable place to start for that is Europe, since their public transportation is thriving compared to America’s. The main goal, as seen in Spain’s new train system, is to accommodate as many people as possible and in the most efficient way. Public transportation is definitely the way to accomplish this. America just needs to quit this tendency of depending on automobiles so that this country can truly grow.

Resources:

Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City. Dir. Aaron Woolf. Prod. PBS. 2010. Film.

Transportation in a Superpower Country

You may ask what makes a country a superpower. There are many scholarly definitions, but the general answer is always the same: a superpower is a country that has a growing economy and keeps progressing in technologies. These countries are an exemplary model for other growing countries. A country like this will influence the thinking and actions of other countries for the betterment of their own nation. Today, the United States is a superpower. Tomorrow, another country will take the title. The United States also has many cities with a mediocre transportation system. Not only do these cities have transportation systems that do not reach the suburbs, but they might also be very limited in accessibility. By limited accessibility, I mean that equity is not present in the system and very few people have access to it. Another way in which transportation is detaining the United States from progressing is that other countries are now competitors in the transportation system.

First, we must begin by looking at the accessibility of transportation in the United States and specifically in the city of Atlanta. Atlanta is one of the most active cities in America, and it also contains the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. When thinking about the airport in Atlanta, foreigners and out-of-state people might think that Atlanta’s transportation system must be incredible. However, the opposite is true. The city’s well-known Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system is, perhaps, the worst transportation system in any city of America. Not only does it not extend to the suburban communities, but there is very little accessibility. The system’s layout is in the shape of a plus sign. There system only meets at one intersection. My first impression when riding MARTA was that very few people were using it relative to population density. Another important observation is that the vast majority of the people taking MARTA were minorities, mainly African Americans. There were very few business people. Only the populace living within a mile of the stations is able to use MARTA without the use of another mode of transportation. The horrendous transportation system is slowly declining Atlanta’s progress.

As a contrast, Spain is the leading country in light-rail transportation. In fact, six of the eight largest light-rail companies in the world are located in Spain. Until the 1980s, Spain used the transportation systems in the United States as a model. Now, Spain has advanced much further than the United States in transit system development. Of course, other countries are also progressing, but Spain is the leading country. It is expected that by 2020, the United States will no longer be a superpower. Growing countries such as Brazil, India, Russia, and China have a great possibility of surpassing the United States transportation system.

Although the United States is a country superpower, its transportation system is not close to that of Spain. Instead, it is slowly declining and worsening. In a superpower country, it is expected that there is an exemplary transportation system. This statement was true before the 1980s; however, with an economic depression omnipresent, the already ordinary transportation systems are dying. So how can we better the transit system in America, and in what ways should be imitate Spain’s system?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City. Thirteen, 08 Feb. 2010. Web. 18 Sept. 2011 <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/beyond-the-motor- city/video/939/>

Better Public Transportation in Atlanta

        Atlanta is one of the few major American cities that does not have an extensive mass transit system. There is MARTA, a small rail system and lots of bus routes, but it is not sufficient for daily use. Many people who need this transportation to be able to provide for themselves do not have access to it.  Atlanta not only has a large traffic problem, but the air quality is terrible because of so many cars giving off harmful gases. Atlanta needs a larger public transit system because it will help bring equality to Atlanta, it will improve our air quality, and it will also lower the daily commute time.

A bigger, more efficient transit system would help bring more equality to Atlanta. In Robert Bullard’s introduction to Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in Atlanta, he states, “All communities are not created equal. Apartheid-type employment, housing development, and transportation policies have resulted in limited mobility, reduced neighborhood options, decreased residential choices, and diminished job opportunities for African Americans and other people of color who are concentrated in cities” (3-4). African American residents of metro-Atlanta are at a severe disadvantage because they were pushed out to the suburbs by the creation of interstate highways throughout Atlanta, they cannot afford to cars to drive on these highways, and they are out reach of public transportation. By expanding Atlanta’s public transportation system, it can begin cater more to the people who need public transportation rather than the people who have cars and can afford to live in the areas that Marta serves. Furthermore, the people living in the suburbs are also suffering from pollution do to being surrounded by highways. 

A study in the Journal of Asthma, written in 2002, suggests that children who live in areas with more smog are more likely to have asthma. The danger that the use of cars is imposing upon children is not right or necessary. If Atlanta had a better transit system, and more people used it, the smog level would decrease dramatically and make a safer environment for people to live. Also, in Sprawl City, it is written, “Atlanta’s smog is also hurting its image as an attractive business climate” (52). Many businesses don’t want to move to Atlanta because they feel that it is an unhealthy work environment, and this feeling hurts the Atlanta job market. In conclusion, by improving the mass transit system in Atlanta, the city can have healthier people and a healthier economy. As well as improving air quality in Atlanta, having a better public transportation system also would make daily commute time in Atlanta decrease. 

According to a study done by the Texas Transportation Institute in 2010, Atlanta drivers spend forty one hours a year stuck in traffic. These forty one hours are in addition to the normal time it takes to commute to work without congestion. If Atlanta had a better public transportation reaching more places in less amounts of time, this time stuck in traffic would go down significantly and people would have more time to do other things, rather than sit in their cars. Because that public transportation system is so inefficient and infrequent, there are many more people on the roads which causes this gigantic traffic jam. Atlanta needs a better way to travel than gridlocked interstate systems and a good public transportation system would be the way to do that. 

It is incredible how long Atlanta has survived without an adequate public transportation system, though it is definitely hurting the community that they don’t have one. If Atlanta put it a larger, more efficient public transit system it would bring equality, improve air in the community, and it would reduce travel time in Atlanta significantly. Atlanta is overdue for significant change is mass transit. 

Bullard, Robert D., Glenn S. Johnson, and Angel O. Torres. Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in Atlanta. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2000. Print.

"Commuting and Traffic Congestion Fast Facts | Clean Air Campaign." Home | Clean Air Campaign. The Clean Air Campaign, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2011. <http://www.cleanaircampaign.org/For-the-Press/Press-Kit/Commuting-and-Traffic-Congestion-Fast-Facts>.

Williams, Barry . Traffic Along Interstate 75/85 in Atlanta. 2005. Getty Images, Atlanta, Georgia. NY Times. Web. 20 Sept. 2011.

Kashiwabara, Kosuke, Hirotsugu Kohrogi, Kosuke Ota, and Toshihiro Morio. "High Frequency of Emergency Room Visits of Asthmatic Children on Misty or Foggy Nights Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1081/JAS-120015794." Journal of Asthma 39.8 (2002): 711-717. http://informalhealthcare.com. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.

Public Transportation is Ineffective for Atlanta

Public Transportation is Ineffective for Atlanta

The public transportation in Atlanta is usable at best. The Metro-Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) was implemented to better help the residents around Atlanta to get to where they need to be via public transportation. However the lack of initial support and lack of continued integration throughout the city has caused MARTA to be ineffective for its cause. The limited integration of MARTA throughout Atlanta and the continued growth and sprawl of the city has continued to decrease the effectiveness of using MARTA.

When the MARTA system was initially started, support was limited. Of the 10 counties that MARTA was proposed to, only 2 counties (Fulton and Dekalb) wanted the proposed system. This lack of support would be continued as the city grew as well. After these initial adoptions, other counties such as Cobb and Clayton have created bus systems of their own with limited connections to MARTA. However, this is not a real substitute for having an integrated bus system. These stations are few and far in between. This has caused large travel times, and inefficiency of movement around Atlanta to their workplace or home. As time has passed this has gotten “better”, but only due to the sprawl of Atlanta.

Since the city of Atlanta was created, it has experience constant growth of at least 2.9% per year. And due to the lack of natural barriers around the city, Atlanta has simply sprawled outward in an uncontrolled growth (Bullard 5). Due to the sprawl, the MARTA system has had trouble keeping up with the growth and has had trouble servicing all new areas. The problem really rears its head near the outskirts of the city. Some riders have to walk to only one of two trains (N-S or E-W) then take bus upon bus to get just 15 mins down the road. Other areas with public transportation have much better access and service throughout their city such as Denver-Aurora, Colorado; which is listed as the number one city for public transportation according to the U.S. News (Kurtzleben). Just looking at their system map compared to MARTA’s you can see how organized the RTD is compared to the random sprawl of the MARTA lines. This leads to less wait time for citizens of an organized system, and better accommodation for riders stop locations. Unfortunately the lack of continued integration and support for MARTA ha led to the opposite: longer wait times and poor accommodation of stops for riders in the outer sprawl.

MARTA - ATLANTA

RTD - Denver-Aurora

The MARTA system is sprawled out to the extent of its use being useless. When first implemented it was there to serve as a way to commute around the counties and city, but with the lack of initial support that happened in a limited manner. As time went on band the city grew in an uncontrolled manner, the state of the system declined. The sprawl of Atlanta coupled with the lack of organized integration has left Atlantans with a poor excuse for a public transit system.

Kurtleben, Danielle. “10 Best Cities For Public Transportation”. U.S. News. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/02/08/10-best-cities-for-public-transportation

Bullard, Robert D. “Anatomy of Sprawl.” Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in

Atlanta. Eds. Robert D. Bullard, Glenn S. Johnson, and Angel O. Torres.

Washington D.C.: Island Press, 2000. 1-20.

Then and Now on Public Transportation

Many people will argue that public transportation played a major part in the civil rights movement and before I watched Freedom Riders, I most likely would have disapproved of such an idea and not thought about it again. However, my perspective has changed dramatically. Public transportation is an essential piece of society and acts as a vital role in discrimination as well as equality. It has been used in the past at a social and political tool, directing the public’s attention towards a cause and acting as a symbol to the rest of society. Public transportation is still active in affecting the community and civil rights today in a larger way than may people may realize. And it can still be used as a political tool just as it was used in the past.

During the height of the civil rights movement in America, a plan was devised to attract the attention of the public and the government to the increasing issue of inequality and discrimination. This plan revolved around public transportation and was called the Freedom Rides. Public transportation at this time was separate but certainly not equal, reflecting the reality of society. As seen in Freedom Riders, various civil rights activists fought for their right to sit on a bus yet this simple act was really a protest on the ideals of the world around them. This is a perfect example for how essential public transportation was during this period. It represented the segregation and discrimination that were present and was a very effective tool in catching the attention of the nation. However, the buses that the were used in the Freedom Rides and other civil rights protests also came to represent equality, or rather the fight for equality. Public transportation today can be seen as a representation of social problems still, but can also be seen as the cause for many of these issues.

Public transportation directly affects the surrounding community. People are segregated due to the construction of interstates as well as the scarcity of trains and buses in more suburban areas. Though the discrimination is not primarily due to race, it is still an issue of civil rights. In “Dismantling Transportation Apartheid”, the authors discuss the equality of transport: “Some communities accrue benefits from transportation development projects, while other communities bear a disproportionate burden” (Bullard 45). Here they are talking about how separate areas receive varying amounts of attention from the public, including the government. This type of public problem is eerily similar to the kind that the Freedom Riders were drawing attention to half a century ago. Today, the issue is slightly different since it is no longer about race but economic standing and accessibility to public transport, which unfortunately can still be directly related to racial dilemmas. Public transportation is meant as a way for people to mix equally and often yet it has acted as a separation between different populations instead.

In the end, it is clear that public transportation is extremely important in determining and embodying the views of society at the time. It can be used as a tool to help change the way the world works or how people may see the world. Or it can be used as a wall put up between different economic classes and preventing true equality in cities and suburbs. Either way, public transportation shapes the society in which it is encompassed and has the power to make the difference and change that people want.

Citations:

Freedom Riders. 2010. PBS. Web. .

Bullard, Robert D., Glenn S. Johnson, and Angel O. Torres. "Dismantling Transportation Apartheid." Sprawl City: Race, Politics, and Planning in Atlanta. Washington, D.C.: Island, 2000. Print.