The Happy City and Our $20 Trillion Opportunity

The problem with complicated "call to action" pieces like this is that they make great points but amount to nothing. To make a real change is going to come from big business leaders who pursue wealth and a market opportunity (like Uber, not to say that I support them.)

It's simply not going to happen if a few hundred (or hundred thousand) people read this article and try to "ride their bike more" or "vote against that new highway". The system has too much momentum. Your best bet to make a real impact is to found or be a part of a team that is founding a brand new city with this new mentality. You're not going to change Orlando in the next 50 years with wishful thinking and good points.

How we design cities is indeed important. As such it is important to focus on design performance and to get the history right when that is used for reference.

Car and tire companies did not plot to shut down the streetcars. Streetcars were disliked by their patrons and wore out. In many ways the failure to rebuilt the streetcar system when it reached end of life is similar to the problems with our bridges deteriorating faster than they can be rebuilt. All transportation systems need to be embraced by customers and to be efficient enough to be rebuilt as necessary.

It is important to understand that what happened with streetcars does not change any of the basic points made in this piece.