As exhibited earlier on my website, I really love bikes and public transit. But some people don’t agree with me. In fact, government officials in Amsterdam in the car era (yes, they used to be like America, and they are really ahead of time in abandoning cars, unlike America) got death threats and were almost killed when they wanted to push out cars. (That’s why I don’t allow comments or share my email or phone number.) But after they got bodyguards and passed the laws limiting cars, the people who tried to kill them got rich…from their taxes being directed toward bikes and transit. You can, in fact, get rich from “throwing away” your tax dollars. Towards more modern infrastructure and legislature, by the way. But you LOSE money when paying for maintenance and the building of highways, roads, and interstates. You just never get it back. ANYWAYS, many people here in Atlanta deeply oppose the BeltLine, so the following three main points is a rebuttal to their arguments.
The Alternative is Worse
Think about this: In the 1960s, when America was experiencing a car revolution, many car companies broadcasted infomercials on public TV. These infomercials said that America’s roadways were dirt. The farmers couldn’t reach the market, and the people were stuck in traffic. These car companies said that if you pay for it (with the government as the middleman), the government could fix it. They could pave bigger and better highways and pave the country roads. They would make interstates on bridges over entire cities, above all of the traffic and congestion. This would be a one-time payment; you never have to maintain it. (See the bottom of this post for one of these infomercials.)
But this wasn’t how it turned out. Sure, roads were built, but they were way more expensive. Like, millions or maybe even billions of dollars over budget. And the maintenance. This cost was even accounted for. Whole new taxes had to be made. Do you even know how short the life of a highway is? 15 years. Yeah, that’s right. I don’t misspeak. Every 15 years, you have to pay – oh, let’s see – about 75% of the original cost of the road. And that’s just the minimum. That makes me shudder.
It’s Crazy Cheap
On that note, let’s talk about stuff like the BeltLine and its cost. The cost of the BeltLine is amazingly cheaper than you think it is. Think about it. It’s just a path. People, bikes, and scooters are just not as big. Cars, especially today, are tanks. I’m serious. World War I tanks were about the size of SUVs today. They are probably only to get bigger. Humans, however, are not – in fact – tanks. Humans are humans and are not heavy or large. Cars are tons of metal. Again, I’m being serious, they weigh around five tons. Adult humans, however, weigh, on average, between 150 and 300 pounds. (Dang, now that was a lot of commas.) That’s not very heavy. I’m trying to say here that humans don’t damage the road every time they go over it. So, the paths can last a long time. Say, half a century. Therefore, you don’t have to maintain the paths much. And, the paths are thin, and it’s just the one time we’re building it, so the original cost won’t be much either.
It’s amazingly cheap compared to highways, so why not use the extra money we have to improve it? The people opposing this amazing project say that the disabled and elderly will not be able to use it. Well, why not add transit alongside it? We could add, say, a streetcar-type contraption to it. Electricity would travel through wires on the top of the streetcar to provide power instead of the dangerous option of going through the tracks. This streetcar would also provide fast and cool transportation for anyone wanting a break from the hot summer heat. So, now we’ve got a path that can transport many people and a streetcar that provides transportation for the elderly, hot, and disabled. A car is huge and only carries about one person. A streetcar and the same area of path as the area of a car can provide way more transportation than just one person.
Relax, You’ll Get Your Money Back
So, I’ve almost gotten you on board, haven’t I? Well, one more thing. You will get your money back, whether physically or through happiness gained. I guarantee you that shops are going to spring up. First, one shop will come, and then the others will follow suit. You and many others will be able to spend your whole day on the BeltLine, which will happen even more if you live on or near the BeltLine. I tell you, even today, I am jealous of people who live on the BeltLine. These people seem to get access to everything, especially those amazing corner stores.
The people who own these local stores and shops will be normal locals who want to spread their creativity into the neighborhood. These shops will increase the value of your neighborhood and will also provide your neighborhood with more development. This will increase the want to live in the neighborhood. Therefore, for your business or job, prices can be raised. Then, the unthinkable will happen. Your salary will suddenly start to come up. Your investments have paid off, and you are better off. You buy a house on the path before they run out, and you suddenly live well. The city gets more money from the entrepreneurs and not having to maintain the path much, and renovate the schools. They build more and more parks and other infrastructure, and you can’t imagine a better city to live in. The city, very much satisfied with this experimental path, builds more and more. Before you know it, your city looks much like Amsterdam.
So, go out and vote for more BeltLines and pedestrian infrastructure!
