Fundamental change is upon us

Photo by Raman Suri, Sensemaker.

1. From the Financial Times comes "Camels oust the thirsty tractor," which tells us that Indian farmers are moving to camel-power to reduce their demand for oil, given the cost.

2. Still presidential candidates McCain and Clinton justify their idiotic "plan" to eliminate the federal gasoline excise tax this summer. Hillary says she'd have the oil companies pay it through an excise profits tax.

3. The issue is driving less, not driving, using less oil. This is key because if India and China were to consume oil at the same rate as the U.S., then the U.S., China, and India would consume approximately 177.8 million barrels of oil/day.

The problem is that total consumption for the entire world is less than half that amount.

Likely there isn't enough oil in the world to support that level of consumption.

India. New York times photo.

4. So even this step in the right direction, buying more fuel efficient cars, is but an interim measure. See "As Gas Costs Soar, Buyers Flock to Small Cars," from the New York Times as the real issue is driving less to begin with.

5. Also see this letter to the editor in the NYT, in a section of letters titled "The Gas Tax: Out for Summer?", by Kevin Griffith of Columbus, Ohio :

I couldn’t agree more that suspending the federal gas tax is a completely unhelpful idea. Consumers need to change their habits, not have their current habits pandered to.

Because of high gas prices, I now walk my fifth-grade son to school every morning. It’s a mile of exercise and good conversation for both of us. It’s particularly gratifying when we walk past long lines of S.U.V.’s stopped at traffic lights, all going to the same place we are. Do we really want to make it easier for those drivers?

6. How does this relate to the center city? Tom Ramstack of the Washington Times reports on what should be very very obvious, in "Transit bedrock of local growth." From the article:

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has offset many traffic problems by attracting commuters to public transportation. At the same time, it has turned the area around transit stations into some of the region's prime real estate for developers.

The emphasis on transit-oriented development is underscored by recent foreclosure patterns, according to institute officials. More homes are being foreclosed in suburban areas than in downtown Washington, they said.

Developers say the region's traffic problems are major factors in recent trends toward "live-work-play" communities, in which they build complexes that include offices, homes and recreational facilities. Theoretically, residents can walk between the buildings for any services they need or never leave a single high-rise

"If a prospective client can't get to their office or it would be frustrating to get to their office, that would be a consideration," said Mary Margaret Hiller, spokeswoman for developer Akridge. "We're always looking at traffic studies. That can determine how successful the project will be."

There is never going to be enough money to build roads (not that there is enough money to rebuild the transit system either). And even if there isn't enough money to build transit, Washington, DC proper is well situated going forward, because of the rich array of transit connectivity it offers already.

This will improve with the addition of streetcars and better bus service, and maybe with even more transit such as the revived separated blue line WMATA proposal that was first offered in 2001, but scuttled in 2003 due to a downturn in the local economy...


My "new" house isn't in a dense part of the city, but it's still a .9 mile walk, bicycle ride, or bus trip to the subway, a 1 mile trip to a Safeway supermarket, and just over one mile away is the Takoma business district in DC and Maryland. It doesn't have everything, but it's a lot better than anything available in many of the Wards in the city, especially within walking distance. (And the Middle Eastern restaurant on Carroll Ave. in Takoma Park, MD is great--you can get a huge piece of grilled salmon with vegetables, rice, and a salad for $9.50!)