Why the US Sucks at Building Public Transit

America is worse at building and operating public transit than nearly all of its peers. Why is that? And what can we do to fix it?

Vice.com - continues
( Looooooong and fairly detailed article on the issues. Well done, but long.)

 

China has us beat on this. I haven't been there, but I'm betting in China there's a central clear destination to the urban core. Which makes building public transit much easier. This is also seen European cities too.

 

No, in China it’s because the government owns all the land — all the people are just temporarily allowed to build apartments or whatever on it. (I am not joking, although this concept tends to generate disbelief in the US.) Think eminent domain but with nearly zero right to appeal. Makes it pretty easy to build a subway line when you want it.

However, I’m sure the article also compares us to peers where private land ownership and nimbys are no less a thing.