Yes

by C. L. Easey

Created on: March 31, 2008   Last Updated: April 01, 2008

Congestion in large cities and on construction sites lead to problems that have to be addressed. There are many questions being asked about the inconveniences that transportation problems can cause. New alternatives to policy and transportation problems are being implemented in many different states. Although, there are some states in which roads are pretty bad and in desperate need of repair. Transportation is a touchy topic, although it has its problems (many of them) it is still an important part of society that we cannot do without, no matter how bad things get.

Regulating transportation is a serious matter and even more serious where safety is concerned. Different regulations exist for different modes of transportation. Sometimes when regulations are ignored violent accidents happen. When an accident does happen the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate and examine the cause of an accident. Most NTSB investigations occur when an accident involves a company or type of transportation the is involved with the federal government, such as Amtrak and commercial airlines.

As we will see in years to come the increasing amount of automobile travel is coming dangerously close to nullifying the gains made in previous years in controlling pollution. Gains achieved from technology to decrease the amount of greenhouse gas and emissions from exhausts is being counteracted by development which brings more transportation. Also, the demand for personal and freight transportation (buses, trucks, etc.) in the United States is continuing to grow producing more vehicle emissions that harm the environment. Transportation has a major affect on the environment and improvements need to be made to ensure that pollution does not increase to irreversible levels.

There are many ways in which to alleviate problems with transportation. The only problem in finding ways that are economically feasible to accomplish. Funding from the state and federal government is one way in which problems such as road repair and construction can be corrected or built. One problem with some federal funds for the states is matching funds. That is the state has to match what is given by the federal government. Funds may come in the form of categorical grants in which the federal government dictates where the money will be spent. They may also come in the form of block grants in which the states have more of a decision where they can spend the money. States can also enact different policies in which to control transportation in a particular state.

There are some serious concerns about the affect transportation will have on society in the future. We can see that there are policies in existence that help with problems we have now, such as pollution and traffic. Although, they may not be enough to stop the downhill slide of deteriorating road conditions and the damage we cause on the environment. More things need to be done such as better emissions systems on automobiles, cheaper ways to construct highways with better material, better construction management and roadway design. We will see in the future whether or not we can contain the problems and concerns of transportation and how it affects society.

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