This post has nothing do to with Oceania's decline. But agree with you Snaefell3 (and Hlitner) re: The US interstate highway system initiated in the 1956 Act basically launched the interstate highway system. It had several good intentions--- but in hindsight, likely at the expense of a better railway system. The goals at the time were to first support national defense. Major military things at the time relied primarily on ground transport. Second, to support a now little-acknowledged goal, to allow people to escape cities in the case of possible [atomic] bombings. It was the Cold War era. There were of course more goals, such as business/economic, which also matter.
Moving on, it is great to support non-automobile means of transport. I value the folks on CC that post on these alternatives!
