In the national government there are variety of policy issues that involve the expenditure of money. One of the most important government issues involving the expenditure of money is transportation funding. The nation’s transportation system includes the highways, transit, and rail systems that the people use. It is critical to the economy and affects the lives of the American people. However, the system has its flaws. The cost to repair and update the transportation system to meet future and current demands is exceeding billions of dollars. The 18.4 cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline enacted,more than 20 years ago is not worth as much today. This trend will continue as there are more fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles. Funding
Automobiles play a major role in today's society. Almost every American owns at least one motorized transportation vehicle. Some say they make our lives better by reaching places faster than before. Others say they are a harmful to the environment. Have they made our society better or worse? They may be fast, but do we as humans want our environment to suffer because of time. Face it, cars pollute. And they release destructive chemicals into the air. Air pollution can threaten the health of many subjects in the environment including human beings.
Organizations are constantly being challenged to identify ways to reduce operating cost, increase equipment capacity and utilization. There are many variables in why we see continued increases. One of the major effects is raising fuel cost. Companies are constantly battling this variable. This is not the only issue facing companies today. But it is certainly a concerning one to companies who rely on fuel for their company to thrive. These challenges are aligned with rising material costs as well. The economics of transportation affects the lives of all U.S. citizens and citizens of other nations. The
Have you ever thought about the impact the Transcontinental Railroad had on the United States? The railroad changed the United States economically, politically and socially. It brought more culture in, helped us import and export things, and made cities. All in all the railroad changed the United States economically the most because it helped us import and export things, made products cheaper and brought in more culture which means more jobs and money.
The Transcontinental Railroad was one of the most ambitious engineering projects, economic stimulants, and efficient methods of transportation in the early United States. If completed, the United States would be truly be united from east to west. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Transcontinental Railroad helped develop new opportunities for many aspects of American life.
The idea of advancing an economy has been a staple in political ideology since the dawn of democracy and politics itself. We as citizens of California are becoming global leaders in climate consciousness, and our efforts are involved in the advancement of eco-friendly systems, in this case, an eco-friendly mode of transportation that will theoretically increase the convenience of interstate travel as well as boost an economy that is already ranked the 8th most prosperous economy in the world. On both ends of the spectrum, both pro and con proponents of high-speed rail travel in California agree that the economic advancement of California is our best
While the Federal-Aid Highway act of 1956 created the U.S. Interstate system and brought a nation together, the Federal-Aid Highway act of 1973 would later create division in federal and state political parties over future funding concerns. In the short run, President Nixon considered this act as a positive step for transportation and the economy. However, in the long run, this act led to the eroding of HTF’s, leaving both state and federal government debating over how to proceed in funding a transportation infrastructure that is at present time slowly crumbling. Political differences between federal and state agencies have brought the modernization process of the transportation infrastructure to a snail’s pace. In addition, the lengthy
Nineteenth century America was a time of rapid growth and expansion. The movement of settlers further and further west accompanied by technological advances led to the major growth of cities and industries across the American frontier. However, it was the major innovations of transportation that had the most significant impact on the expansion of Midwestern and western America. The construction of canals and roads led to the increase in the use of stagecoaches, steamboats, and ultimately railroads.
Despite the tremendous economic success in Texas and its overall well-being, the state continues to face its nonstandard set of challenges that must be addressed immediately. Certainly, the most pressing issue is a deteriorating transportation infrastructure, which requires innovation, long-range planning and, of course, investment (Button & Reggiani, 2011). The following study focuses on the deteriorating transportation infrastructure as a major issue facing the state of Texas. The report will also discuss the positions of two major Texas political parties (Republican and Democratic) on the issue. It further explains the ways of their addressing it. Next, it will discuss the overall goals, the position, the level of lobbying and the
In the early 1900s, the United States of America would see the introduction of a piece of technology that would change the way we as a society would look at travel. Henry Ford began production of Model T, the vehicle soon found its way into many American homes. By 1927, the Ford Motor Company had sold nearly 15 million of the mass produced, affordable car. The automobile was no longer a luxury but, a necessity for Americans. During the infancy of the automobile, the roads where nothing more than a mere rutted up path through the country side. Though shortly, people realized the need for better roads. The only problem was, who was going to pay the bill?
Comparing the financial cost of the interstate with the cost of having to reallocate funding or stopping programs in an effort to decrease traffic congestion will create a greater economic downturn if not done in moderation as well as a decrease in confidence in lawmakers. The lawmakers will feel the decrease in confidence by citizens during elections. Unless the local government can generate and use other sources of revenue to continue highway improvement, the decision to remove the city’s funding is not practical.
The money goes towards building an efficient mass transit system that gives about 4 million rides a day, and it makes car buyers think twice before purchasing a vehicle that is going to cost them a fortune (Source B). Although the idea of using the money to build a mass transit system seems controversial to reducing air pollution, mass transportation, such as Singapore’s, actually emits about 62 percent less pollution per passenger mile compared to a single operating vehicle, according to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). If the U.S. government were to carry out a policy similar to this, the amount of pollution emitted by roadside transportation would drastically decrease due to the limited access of cheap vehicles and unlimited access of mass transportation.(does this work?). The positive effects of green policies have already been seen in the U.S. through the Clean Air Acts of 1970 and 1990, which were set to control pollution and are upheld by the EPA and the White House Administration, . This act
With the upcoming presidential election, this year there is one very unnerving fact that has received overwhelming bipartisan recognition; America has a serious problem with infrastructure and something must be done. Across the country, dams, roads, sewage systems and bridges were built with Works Progress Administration funds in the 1930s. Seventy years later, they are in despair. As a nation, we must address Americas’ failing infrastructure and close the ever-increasing infrastructure deficit before the backbone of America crumbles right under our own two feet. To do so U.S. policymakers must act now to raise funds, without increasing our national debt. No intervention by the government will lead to a continuance of deteriorating the health
The California High-Speed Rail is a high-speed rail system currently under construction in California and is a bad idea for the state. During the November election in 2008, Californians were asked to approve a $45 billion bullet train. Proposition 1A passed, but just barely. Since then just about everything the voters were promised in 2008 about the rail system has changed. With a $45 billion price tag, and with far from an overwhelming mandate at 52% of the votes, this project is far from being built. The first phase of the system could be completed by 2029, provided that additional funds are obtained. Phase 2 (which has no timetable yet) was originally planned to extend the system northerly in the Central Valley to the Sacramento Valley Station in Sacramento, and southerly (through the Inland Empire) to the San Diego International Airport in San Diego. That too has changed, Sacramento and San Diego are now not even mentioned in future planning.
Along with hover boards and flying cars, high-speed rail is one of the most iconic futuristic technologies discussed today. With great success, European and Asian countries such as Germany, France, Japan and China have been enjoying bullet trains for decades. Japan has been a leading innovator of high-speed trains, and has currently developed a train capable of 315 mph (Shadbolt). This MagLev is revolutionizing public transport and changing how the world view trains forever. The average European high-speed train can travel at speeds in excess of 220 mph (“The 10”). The United States is falling behind in this highly efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly high-speed train race. With the amount of traffic congestion between
Cities are places which have huge amount of gathering of people, collection of economic activities and complex infrastructure for people which all together are supported by transport systems.