More Taxes Equal More Pork
22nd February 2015
My, what a surprise! Aren’t you surprised? I’m sure surprised.
The interstates were successful because they provided transportation that is faster, cheaper (because it saves fuel), more convenient, and safer than before.
For the past two decades or so, however, much of our transportation spending has focused on infrastructure that is slower, more expensive, less convenient, and often more dangerous than before. Too many cities have given up on trying to relieve congestion. Instead, they have allowed it to grow while they spend transportation dollars (nearly all paid by auto users) on other forms of travel such as rail transit.
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A very simple test can determine whether any particular transportation project will be faster, cheaper, more convenient, and/or safer than before: Will the users themselves pay for it? Users will pay for real improvements in transportation; they won’t pay for slower, more expensive, less convenient, and more dangerous transportation.