The Politics of Urbanism and Transit

[bedstuy]

This is an oversimplification, but this is an often ignored issue at the national level, the politics of planning, urbanism and transit/transportation.

On one side, you have "liberal" "New Urbanist" "smart growth" advocates.  They tend to believe in planning high densities, using way more public transit, designing walkable cities that are bicycle and pedestrian friendly.  They are generally against building more roads and criticize the American love affair with the car.  They hate "sprawl" and rather see the city as this great social force.

Republican critics see these ideas as social engineering and a general waste of money.  They oppose public transportation and support building more highways, roads and automobile infrastructure.  In fact, many of these people hate the urban bicycle culture developing in many American cities.  Tea Party critics have further argued that the idea of sustainable development and urbanism is related to a UN plot to take away people's rights, called Agenda 21.  Rather, they like the exurban growth and single family home model. 

Which side do you fall under?  What is your philosophy when it comes to urban planning and cars vs. bicycles/transit?

[bedstuy]

I love to cycle and walk.  Try to do a little of both every day, and I prefer working withing walking or cycling distance from my house.  I like having good sidewalks and lighted crosswalks.  I'm also a big fan of maintaining a good public bus system.

Still, I like having good roads and highways.  I like it when they widen the street if a new subdivision crowds the original two-lane artery.  I having a single-family dwelling and a little yard to play in, and a street on which we can rollerblade, having only local traffic, and not much at that. 

Moderate hero.  (voted new urbanist, given the false dichotomy)

The problem with widening roads is that more cars show up, wider roads are more dangerous and they destroy streetscapes.

Here's my basic philosophy. There's some balance to be had, there will always be a range from Battery Park city density to rural areas.  But, America is waaaay out of whack in favor of cars and low density.  We highly subsidize the automobiles to the tune of billions of dollars and we get cities that are great for cars and bad for people.