03-20-2017, 07:04 AM
I haven't a solid vision of the new transportation infrastructure. The cities originally grew at transportation hubs, on good harbors, where rivers met, where rivers got to close to mountains and the first set of rapids made the river unnavigable. These days, how much traffic is by river? How much of the ocean traffic is by huge super tankers or monster container ships, often too large for the old traditional harbors? Check out the oldest photographs of the old harbors, where the phrase 'forest of masts' was appropriate. Things have changed.
Gilded Age manufacturing was dependent on these transportation hubs, thus a lot of the industry was located in the cities.
It could be that some degree of reversal to old patterns could occur, but I'm not seeing it yet. Manufacturing is less important than it was. New information and transportation technology has reduced the requirement for everyone to scrunch near each other. I don't know.
I'm also not sure what the personal transportation solution will be. If one lives near one's work, a small electric car charging off a renewable grid might or might not do it for most people. Sure, there are people who think cars ought to be loud, inefficient and sexy. When oil and jobs were more available, the cult of the muscle car was a significant part of the culture. That's fading. More modest cars that preserve much of the freedom of the current system while being as light a burden on the economy as possible might stick in suburban areas. Perhaps rural areas require more range. Perhaps urban areas will go with busses, light rail and bicycles.
Who knows? I don't.
Gilded Age manufacturing was dependent on these transportation hubs, thus a lot of the industry was located in the cities.
It could be that some degree of reversal to old patterns could occur, but I'm not seeing it yet. Manufacturing is less important than it was. New information and transportation technology has reduced the requirement for everyone to scrunch near each other. I don't know.
I'm also not sure what the personal transportation solution will be. If one lives near one's work, a small electric car charging off a renewable grid might or might not do it for most people. Sure, there are people who think cars ought to be loud, inefficient and sexy. When oil and jobs were more available, the cult of the muscle car was a significant part of the culture. That's fading. More modest cars that preserve much of the freedom of the current system while being as light a burden on the economy as possible might stick in suburban areas. Perhaps rural areas require more range. Perhaps urban areas will go with busses, light rail and bicycles.
Who knows? I don't.
That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.