Public Transportation: a policy paradox

The 2010 snowstorms shutdown government for four days, almost a full working week.  The snowstorm was so severe that some counties even shut down the snowplowing operations.
 
Someone like me who uses public transportation can only understand the limitation of human intellect and the power of technology against the elements of weather.  The effect of not having a public transportation puzzled me more than anything else about our policies on government spending on public transportation. 

First, let me explain the effect of lack of public transportation.  I live in Arlington, a suburb in the Northern Virginia, and near a major public transportation thoroughfare – Columbia Pike.  The weather, instead of dampening my spirit, invigorated me to step outside and take long walks along Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive to see the might and awe of the blizzard. 

Furthermore, a keen interest in photography motivated me not to become a victim of the cabin fever.  Because of its close proximity to DC and a strategic transportation value, Arlington did not suffer the fate of a county or a city far removed from DC or situated deeper into Virginia suburbs where the blizzard cast its biting effect on people.

Let’s shift gear to politics.  The U.S. continues to enjoy a higher gross domestic product (GDP) per person than its European counterpart.  The trend has remained this way since 1950 although the European Union has claimed sporadic higher growth rates.  But the overall GDP per capita remains in favor of the U.S.  Does the higher GDP mean higher quality of life?  It is certainly arguable.  According to a report by The Economist (2005), the U.S. GDP does not take into account of the quality of life that the people in Europe enjoy. 

For example, the U.S. government spends more on roads and infrastructures to compensate for the lack of adequate public transportation, causing people to spend more on goods and services.  This spending raises the GDP but not the convenience, nor the benefit of the mass public transportation system.  Another factor that contributes to U.S. GDP is the purchases of home security devices.  Because of higher crime rates, people in the U.S. spend more on the home security.  Gone is the peace of mind (2005).

Could a sound transportation policy have stopped the blizzard and the shutdown?  Probably not.  But after the blizzard people would have more places to go.  More subways, trolleys, and buses would have hummed along the neighborhood streets without shedding an ounce of carbon emission to the environment.  I call it a quality of life.    

The nature’s fury did not bring the government to its knees.  Politics of indifference did.