Cars are ruining our cities
Cars are great but they are ruining our cities. From 1980 to 2005, the U.S. population grew by 35% (U.S.
Census Bureau). During the same period, vehicle miles traveled grew by 95% (U.S. Department of Transport
(DOT)). Alarmingly, transportation logistics costs grew by 160% and person-hours of delay (caused by traffic
congestion) grew by 280% (U.S. DOT). While vehicle miles driven is growing at about three times the rate of
population growth, the much faster rate of congestion growth indicates that highway capacity improvements
are not keeping pace.
Urban area devoted to roads and parking in this photo is 48% (PRT Consulting)
Surface transportation accounted for 47% of the net increase in total U.S. emissions since 1990 (U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)). Transportation accounts for 34% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (U.S. EPA) and it
alone uses more oil than all other uses combined.
Safety is a huge issue - the 41,059 highway deaths (U.S. DOT) in 2007 is almost as many as the 58,236 total U.S.
deaths in the entire Vietnam War (Wikipedia).
Download the 12-page Sustainable City Enabled by Personal Rapid Transit.pdf
or download The Perfect City presentation from the 2010 Heathrow PRT Conference.pdf