> The system, which was located 4 to 6 feet below the city streets, was created and owned by private companies, to which the city paid rent and labor.
When did we collectively lose the idea that such a model is even possible?
When did we collectively lose the idea that such a model is even possible?
>> “The high operating costs of the pneumatic system ultimately proved its downfall. By 1918, the federal government considered the annual rental payments ($17,000 per mile per annum) made by the post office to be ‘exorbitant’ and endorsed a new alternative with greater capacity–the automobile–as the delivery method of choice.”
I ask this partially too because most of the highways in my state were originally privately funded and built, and only later funded by government fees.
I just wonder what happened to the "let's just go do it" mentality of rallying people to cooperate and getting things done. Almost seems like it would be hard to do worse than the current bureaucratic nightmares.
(Besides, these are 100+ year old iron tubes; there are much better things to run fiber through. NYC does not have a shortage of buried, half-forgotten infrastructure.)
https://www.empirecitysubway.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_City_Subway
Looks like their lowest rate (<=2.5" conduit) is $3,660/mile/yr, not including installation, permitting, and city franchising fees. Still interested?