We Need to Get Closer

There was a time, in the United States, when people lived and worked in a short radius from their homes; taking a bus or walking would get them to work in a small amount of time. At the end of World War II that began to change. Smart people saw the advantage of changing the demographic. The idea was a win, win for all major business concerns and it was highly appealing to the people living in crowded city neighborhoods. The idea was to build residential communities in, what was then called, the outskirts of the city. The area’s identity was quickly changed to that of the suburbs.

Conspiracy theories are always fun and, if you force yourself, you could possibly make one out of what happened to the demographic of the population. They moved out into the suburbs but public transportation did not move with them. During this migration period public transportation options declined. Several very economical and environmentally friendly options disappeared in favor of the almighty automobile. Trains were cut back and disappeared in many cities. Things like trolley cars and electric busses became relics and curiosities. During the time that the United States helped create a wonderful rail system in Europe they were dismantling their system at home. There were always stories of how big auto and big oil got together to make this happen. Growing up during that period it seemed to me that business was only fulfilling the desire of the consumer. Gas was cheap and plentiful and no one had any idea what it was doing to the environment. There seemed to be no reason not to enjoy the freedom of the automobile and to forsake the public transportation options.

For the last sixty or so years the American people have moved farther away from their city jobs seeking the quiet and the beauty of life in the country. The problem was that they were city people and not at all interested in living a country life. Once they settled in a community they would find it difficult to make trips for buy goods for their homes and families. Once again business found a way to make them happy and the shopping center and the shopping mall were born. The centers of convenience were still miles away from the quiet residential streets so car trips were still necessary.

We are now faced with a growing environmental problem and a serious security problem. Some may argue over the real impact of the internal combustion engine on the environment but I don’t see how anyone can argue that America’s dependence on foreign oil is not a security problem. We need to limit our consumption of oil, and gas powered automobiles are a major portion of that consumption.

There are only twenty-four hours in a day. In that time most people have to take care of the morning business, commute to work, put in at least eight hours, commute home, make meals, do the evening business, and find time to relax and enjoy a moment with their families. One of the vital parts of this routine is the commute time, and that time gets longer every year. People move further out and traffic gets heavier and heavier. The longer the commute takes, the more gas we burn, the more we enrich foreign powers, and the more we foul the air. Isn’t it time we start thinking about getting closer?

First, let me be clear. This is not something that can be demanded or legislated. This is something that has to come from the willingness of the people and business to change the demographic for the better. It only took their efforts to change to the present demographic; it will take their effort to change again. The best that a government could do it offer incentives to business to move their operations closer to their workers. The people have to do their part as well. Business parks have been created in the suburbs but the people would keep moving further out and keeping their old commuting style. The people would have to avoid the urge to advantage of the move of business. Instead they should be encouraged to stay close and to change the commuting habits. It would be to their advantage to have more time at home and less time on the road. The idea should be pushed by business and government. This is obviously a lot more difficult than that. Not all of Company A’s workers live in suburb B; they are spread out over a region. This would have to be a gradual change that would involve incentives and ideas that would draw Company A’s workers closer to their place of work. Once again, nothing can be forced in a free society.

The vision would be that one day many Americans could use a battery powered car that has a range of a couple of hundred miles. It could be used for every day commuting and for running errands. A commuter would have no reason to drive more than 35 to 40 mile per hour on a standard day if they were driving under ten miles to work. A fringe benefit would be a dramatic drop in highway fatalities.

I know that this is a pipe dream, but sometimes you just have to write your dreams down.