Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This kind of effort would certainly be unpopular, given the difficulty various localities have with merely repairing existing roads, but the question is whether something like this would become a necessity when dino oil begins to run out, resulting in $20 gasoline.
This kind of effort would certainly be unpopular, given the difficulty various localities have with merely repairing existing roads, but the question is whether something like this would become a necessity when dino oil begins to run out, resulting in $20 gasoline.
No, it is not a necessity at the national level. This is the descretion of municipalities and states if they so choose.
I would love to see more bike dedicated lanes. Where I live there are really no places to bike other than our highway and side roads with no shoulders.
DC is doing just fine with funding its own bike lane construction on its own volition, even if they face resistance from poorer residents who say, "we don't need no bike lanes."
And really, if gas is $20 then a lot of people will stop driving. Meaning less cars on the road. Meaning a slightly safer environment for bikes (maybe).
This kind of effort would certainly be unpopular, given the difficulty various localities have with merely repairing existing roads,
The taxes to repair these roads comes from gasoline purchases. Prepared to have your bike taxed?
Having said that a mandate would very impractical, simply not enough room in many spots. I live in an urban area where some of the main roads have barely enough room for two lanes of car traffic.
Quote:
but the question is whether something like this would become a necessity when dino oil begins to run out, resulting in $20 gasoline.
Never happen at least well into the future, with coal alone we could meet power needs and diesel/jet fuel/kerosene needs for about 100 years. There's also the Green Rive Formation with nearly a trillion barrels of oil, that's trillion with a T. Realistically, worldwide the US has some of the largest if not the largest fossil fuel reserves of any nation.
Both of these have historically been more expensive than conventional oil but not anymore, expect to see development of these resources in the near future as they become more economically feasible.
An extra 6 feet (3' in each direction) of paved surface for new and rebuilt artery roads would certainly add cost to the overall project...
but not that much overall I'd bet and probably less than could be saved from road wear by cars IF they actually get used by more and more bicyclists.
The problems are doing it where bike riding is just not gonna happen or doing the road work in a way that isn't part of a larger construction project... both of these are typical of what happens when the word "mandate" gets used.
Not practical in most rural areas. Want $ to pay for it, add registration fees and license fees to adult bike riders.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
