this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2024
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Optimists Unite

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Optimists Unite Here

We are living in an age of unprecedented wealth, with millions entering the middle class every year. Homo sapiens live longer lifespans than ever before, with better nutrition, and better medicine than ever in our history. This is also the most peaceful time in our history, with record lows in crime and wars. The developing world is surging in wealth and in the west we have more opportunity and access to information than ever.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This is Boston. The highway was moved underground as part of the "Big Dig".

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Interesting. As the shift towards EVs continues, I wonder if more cities will adopt underground road networks. It could free up more space on the surface for people to enjoy.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The problem with underground networks is that they are very expensive

[–] LemmyKnowsBest 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Also it's strange to me that if sinkholes are a problem, how are man-made tunnels under the ground not a problem? No risk of caving in and crushing everything and everyone in there?

[–] Seleni 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Not to mention how much more difficult it is to get emergency services to the scene of a crash.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest 2 points 5 months ago

yeah, also couldn't easily helicopter medevac people from a car accident if they're underground.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

I used to be annoyed at bike lanes, until they all started getting connected to each other. Biking is now really fun and a hell of a lot easier than finding parking downtown. Cars still have their place, but ebikes have significantly made a big city much smaller and easier to navigate.

[–] pjwestin 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

This is the Big Dig in Boston. It was a massive improvement. It was also a decade behind schedule, $21 billion over budget, resulted in 6 arrests on fraud charges, and killed a motorist.

Edit: Oh sorry, I just noticed what community this was posted in. I meant to say, "We did. It's pretty now...hooray!"

[–] JackLSauce 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] IphtashuFitz 2 points 5 months ago
[–] problematicPanther 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Wasn't this a huge clusterfuck of a project? Not that it's not a good idea, but you could have probably found a better example

[–] IphtashuFitz 2 points 5 months ago

Yes, to an extent. But it beat the hell out of the alternative. I remember driving on the old elevated highway and it could be a nightmare even when it wasn’t rush hour.

A lot of the Big Dig project honestly wasn’t that bad, as a good percentage of it was done either without needing detours or with well planned detours. The worst part IMHO was the relatively short period where they started shifting traffic to the new roads. There were periods of days/weeks where a 4 lane highway would have to squeeze down to two or even one lane. Or you would suddenly find one day that a side street simply no longer existed or an exit ramp one day led you somewhere completely different.

But what Boston has now is vastly superior to that old elevated monstrosity, so in the end it was definitely worth the hassle.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest 1 points 5 months ago

interesting. The Jetsons put everything in the sky. But in real life future we are starting to put the ugly things underground.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Look nice. But too quiet...