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From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Private roads (and airports)
Message-ID: <984@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Jan-86 13:24:01 EST
Article-I.D.: mmintl.984
Posted: Fri Jan  3 13:24:01 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 6-Jan-86 06:46:50 EST
References: <849@mmintl.UUCP> <28200425@inmet.UUCP> <954@mmintl.UUCP> <19@calgary.UUCP>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 33
Summary: 


In article <19@calgary.UUCP> radford@calgary.UUCP (Radford Neal) writes:
>In the case of airports, this is easily explained by air travel being
>a luxury of the ruling class. They were built by the government because
>this class found it cheaper to use their political power than to pay more
>for air fares.

Really?  I think you will find that a majority of the U.S. population has
flown; I would guess an overwhelming majority.  Having an airport nearby
is very advantageous for a city (execpt for that relatively small area
which suffers from the noise).  There is a consistent pattern in major
cities of suburbs near airports growing much faster than those which are
not.  This is because businesses like to be near airports, and it is
advantageous to be in an area where there are lots of businesses.
(Because businesses provide jobs, among other reasons.)

>It's unlikely that eminent domain was really required. The airports are
>generally outside cities where land is relatively cheap; there's considerable
>flexibility on siting; the option of not building an airport is quite
>viable, so hold-outs have no assurance the buyer will eventually give in.

But a jetport takes up a huge area.  Rationally it may not make sense to
hold out, but the required area is large enough that there will almost
certainly be an irrational holdout.  Someone who likes where they live,
and doesn't want to move, no matter what.  "Truckloads of money?  No
thanks, I'm comfortable."  Probably 1% of the population will either
demand huge amounts of money to move, or refuse outright, without any
consideration of whether the buyer has any other options.

Not building an airport is a viable option for a large city if it doesn't
care about the well being of its inhabitants.

Frank Adams                           ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Multimate International    52 Oakland Ave North    E. Hartford, CT 06108