Alex Marshall, a former reporter for the Virginian-Pilot who covered metropolitan growth issues and went on to write, “How Cities Work: Suburbs, Sprawl and the Roads Not Taken,” has raised some interesting issues regarding peoples’ choices of transportation modes. The length of time it takes to complete the trip is a factor (and so, I might add, is the cost). In a piece distributed through citiwire.net, Marshall invites readers to consider the quality of the trip.
Money quote: “When it comes to transportation, time is an elastic, subjective, almost mystical thing. One minute spent traveling one way is not the same as another. But the “intangibles” are hard to introduce into official transportation debates.”
I hope Gov.-elect McDonnell is attuned to such nuances as he addresses transportation policy in Virginia. He seems to be of a mindset to raise and spend a lot of money. I hope he spends it wisely.
