Peak oil, Transportation and the sunbelt

[formandfile]

New to the forums, saw the poll on Atlanta (and its importance in the south etc etc) and thought i would do a spinoff topic.....how will your sunbelt city stand up to a probable peak oil scenario (since alot of the discussion here seems to be this city vs that city etc). Think about transportation infrastructure, access to farmland, economic definers (Charlotte=finacial center, Savannah=mostly tourism, etc etc) and how all of this is affected if the cost of oil makes its way into the 60, 70, or 80 dollar a barrel mark.

a good primer on the subject would be the forums at peakoil.com if youre unfamiliar w/the subject.

<patrick>

[DallasTexan]

I'll be fine. Downtown living has its perks

[satalac]

i'd just buy a bike.

[Brickell]

I think he's looking for a little more information than what you would personally do.

Miami, I'm not so sure. We have some halfway transit in place already with plans to expand. Though ridership is low, at least it's there. Downtown and inner subrubs are undergoing a massive urban construction spree. One big problem could be a lack of tourist. As oil increases in price long flights will become more expensive and that spells doom for the beaches who increasingly depend on european tourist. The cruise industry could take a hit as well as our import/export industries.

Now if we could do something about the Florida high speed rail, we might be ok.

[satalac]

I think he's looking for a little more information than what you would personally do.

Miami, I'm not so sure.  We have some halfway transit in place already with plans to expand.  Though ridership is low, at least it's there.  Downtown and inner subrubs are undergoing a massive urban construction spree.  One big problem could be a lack of tourist.  As oil increases in price long flights will become more expensive and that spells doom for the beaches who increasingly depend on european tourist.  The cruise industry could take a hit as well as our import/export industries. 

Now if we could do something about the Florida high speed rail, we might be ok.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah i know . nashville would be screwed. we rely way too much on personal transportation.

[brewerw]

Not just Nash! Look at ATL. That is what not to become. Nasvhille should use public trans. BTW all the new Nash busses are Natural Gas.

[zed]

I can't think of a single Sunbelt city I've seen or heard of that stands much of a chance in a peak oil scenario. Every store is dependent on truck transit and almost every residence is dependent on vehicle transit. The depreciation of suburban homes will likely be swift and brutal.

If I were to list Sunbelt cities with a fighting chance, it would be those that prospered before the oil age. Like New Orleans, with its still lively city center and excellent water access. Also possibly cities like Charleston and Savannah that have good coastal access and haven't gotten TOO big. I'm very pessimistic about the desert southwest and the interior southern metropolises, most of whose growth has occurred recently.