Instead, it will be restricted to connecting the inland valley cities of Merced and Bakersfield. Ending the project is a major development for the US economy and environmental prospects, given California’s 3-trillion-dollar economy and near 40-million-strong population, more than most countries. The Los Angeles-San Francisco route is also the second-busiest nationally, and responsible for about 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Environmental policies are more likely to come via tax incentives or regulations, such as mandating solar panels on new homes.
Self-driving cars could shrink the lifetime of current highways by allowing more cars on each mile of road per hour.
Legally, states cannot run deficits: transport programmes will be delayed in the event of recessions, absent federal funds.
Infrastructure imbalances and associated costs will exacerbate social disparities such as unequal education access.
