Sprawled Out: The Search for Community in the American Suburb

High gas prices may mean fewer deaths

One of the more difficult positions to articulate in the sustainable development field is the idea that bleak suburban sprawl and knee-jerk asphalt "solutions" to transportation puzzles are largely the result of America's relatively inexpensive gas prices over the course of many decades, (Inexpensive? Consider Europe: According to Great Britain's Automobile Association,  the petrol price there in early May was about 95 pence per liter, which converted to about  $6.50 U.S. per gallon.)

Maybe higher gas prices - - and the resultant change in traveling habits - - will be easier to swallow when fatalities begin to decrease in dramatic fashion:

Highway crashes have killed 322 people through the first six months of the year, or 27 fewer than over the same time a year ago, according to preliminary data from Wisconsin's Department of Transportation.

Evidence suggests high gas prices are causing people to slow down and drive fewer miles, factors in the drop in fatalities, said Daniel Lonsdorf, director of the state Bureau of Transportation Safety.

"We are encouraged that something has changed behaviors," he said. "It's sad that it takes $3 a gallon gasoline to get people to live."

Link: JS Online:High gas prices may mean fewer deaths.

Big Oil mouthpiece: "Gas prices can't keep pace with milk, bread, water"

An interesting editorial that argues on behalf of oil companies and their profits: "Hey, gas isn't that expensive compared to milk or bottled water!"

From July 1979 to October 1983, gasoline was fairly consistently over the equivalent of $2 a gallon. During much of the 1920s and 1930s, gasoline prices were higher than the equivalent of $2, also. In 1922, for example, the pre-tax cost per gallon was just shy of 25 cents — equal to about $3 today.

One part of our fuel bill has increased dramatically in real terms over the years: Taxes. Adjusted for inflation, state and federal taxes on gasoline have increased by 868 percent since 1922 — they were only 4 cents per gallon back then — and by 50 percent since 1981, when they were just 14.5 cents.

The author is David Ridenour, who is vice president of a conservative think tank called The National Center for Public Policy Research, which happens to be heavily funded by Exxon: The NCPPR has received $280,000 from Exxon since 1998 (thanks, Exxonsecrets.org). This information does not appear next to the "About David Ridenour" blurb in most of the papers that published his editorial, of course.

Surprise - Ridenour is an apologist for big oil (also, interestingly, his wife is president of the NCPPR). He is also an officer in the "Wise Use Movement," which is "a grassroots movement made up of property rights, farming, ranching, logging, and mining organizations dedicated to wise use/sound management of the nation's natural resources."

Despite his intentions and obvious right wing tilt, Ridenour makes an important point with what he doesn't say in his editorial:  Big oil is heavily subsidized by the United States government both directly and indirectly. It would be hard to imagine gas for under $4 per gallon without these government supports in place, so his point that gas is actually relatively inexpensive is valid. But this is an artificial price; will an economic infrastructure heavily dependant on highways and overland trucking survive the harsh reality many foresee (The Long Emergency presents an especially dark view of the future after oil production has peaked) where these price supports and policies can no longer be continued?

An interesting note on consistancy: An actual headline on the NCPPR website:

Rising Energy Cost [sic] are Taking Their Toll on American Households

Link: Gas prices can't keep pace with milk, bread, water - The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper.

You are known by the company you keep

The Partnership for Quality Growth website features an American flag blowing the the breeze at the top of its home page. And, by golly, the site is "a system of resources designed to help citizens be effective advocates for road-based mobility and a balanced approach to growth in their communities."

The Partnership for Quality Growth is an ad-hoc coalition of trade associations that include the American Consulting Engineers Council, American Highway Users Alliance, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, Associated  General Contractors of America, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Construction Industry Manufacturers Association, Equipment  Manufacturers Institute, Laborers Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, National Asphalt Pavement Association, National Stone Association, National Utility Contractors Association, The Road Information Program, and the Transportation Construction Coalition.

They don't hide this; the logos are right on the front page. Let's hope the media points out these affiliations when reporting on any of the organization's anti-smart growth press releases or briefings.

Thanks to the SPRAWL WATCH CLEARINGHOUSE for posting this first.

U.S. highway system celebrates 50-year mark

WASHINGTON - Of course we take it for granted now — the nearly 47,000 miles of interstate highway system that connects everyone to every American place and allows trucks to bring us everything we might want or need.

But when President Dwight Eisenhower created it 50 years ago, the newsreels got it right: “The biggest peacetime enterprise ever taken! It will cost tens of billions!”

Link: U.S. highway system celebrates 50-year mark - Nightly News with Brian Williams - MSNBC.com.

Developer unveils plan for Brookfield site

Consultants unveiled an ambitious master plan Tuesday to redevelop lands near N. 124th St. and W. Capitol Drive, but an alderman for the area immediately raised concerns it was too densely packed with buildings.

...After the meeting, Ald. Bill Carnell, who represents that area, objected to the density and traffic.

"It seems like we're developing another mini-Blue Mound Road in this corner," he said.

Link: JS Online:Developer unveils plan for Brookfield site.