Green Transportation Systems

Aside from education, the biggest fiscal challenge facing local governments is fixing our transportation infrastructure without increasing pollution. The President has proposed that we switch to hydrogen within ten years. This is nice, but does not solve all the problems of accidents and congestion we currently face. Accidents still kill too many people. Congestion is still too much of a problem. Forcing people to use more public transportation is not the answer, because people will never give up the freedom and convenience offered by owning your own car. An integrated solution provides for systematic traffic control, increased mass transit and individual or rented car ownership.

We currently have the technology to switch to an entirely electric system, with vehicles on major roads and highways drawing power from overhead cables in the same manner that passenger trains and electric buses do. A roof is put over these transmission lines, and grass grown on these roofs. In cities and new developments, roads with this feature are even put under street level. These transmission lines also double as an electric transmission system to houses.

Practical electric cars, with electric motors in the axels, are already under development. Automatic control technology is also improving. Extending a transmission line from a car to an overhead power and control system is only a baby step. Once this step is taken, interstate travel is revolutionized, as vacationers set their cars to their destinations and go, working, watching television or sleeping while the car does the driving.

Funding
A key advantage to this system is that it is either entirely private, or a mix between public and private funding. However it is funded initially, the driver provides a link to a debit or credit account to the system and the trip begins provided funds are available. Rental cars are even used, either for single trips or cross-country excursions, relying on the same premise. Of course, taxicabs as we know them are replaced by this technology.

Workers at employee-owned inter-independent firms get their car loans through their workplaces. Firms even include the stock of the evolving transportation companies in their retiree investment portfolios, so that travel expenses in retirement are covered by stock dividends.

Daily Travel
For daily travel, the system adjusts itself to limit congestion. When road congestion is high, rates for “downtown” trips are raised, while rates to public transportation facilities are lowered. If public transportation is overloaded, rates to drive downtown are decreased. Over the long term, fuel usage, auto production and road construction and maintenance are integrated and fees are set to optimize the system and remove gridlock. Since the system is largely under ground, it does so without tearing up the landscape. The solution to the parking problem is the best part, with empty vehicles returning home to park and coming back at the end of the day. Is this science fiction? Not any more.

Energy Sources
This solution to our transportation problems is an ideal way to increase the use of clean burning natural gas or hydrogen generators to power the electric grid, or even to harness long neglected nuclear power technology. Recent breakthroughs in developing fusion technology also show promise. Physicists are close to generating a sub critical reaction that is used to provide power generation. When this occurs, the system described here is ideal, provided the right industrial partners are brought on board to prevent obstruction. Cars also have reserve batteries, which charge while in the system for use on those streets that have not yet been improved.

Overcoming Resistance
Individual drivers are less likely to resist this system than mere appeals for more public transit, since privately owned vehicles are a component of this system. Another major selling point is that people are able to program their destinations and go, taking their minds off the road. Automobile accidents are a thing of the past, especially drunk driving. This system actually encourages travel, and the production of more comfortable vehicles to travel in - with television and Internet access. This development also lowers the price of airlines and hotels, given the realistic alternative of driving straight through.