The Privatization of Roads and Highways - Ludwig von Mises Institute

68 The Privatization of Roads and Highways
the emphasis from coping with congestion to encouraging communities
without congestion. 31
Let us consider each of these points. We must begin by “conceding”
to Owen that highway traffic and mass transit are not
now coordinated with one another. In fact, it would be difficult to
cite another situation where two such closely allied fields evidence
such little complementarity. But the conclusion that this
state of affairs points to the need for more government involvement
cannot be sustained. For it is the government ownership
and control over both highways and mass transit which is precisely
responsible for the sad discoordination which presently
prevails between them.
Urban mass transportation is presently almost entirely in the
hands of local government. Indeed, the synonymous use of the
terms “mass transit” and “public transit” is eloquent testimony
to the fact that, in the eyes of most people, the only possible
owner and manager of such transportation networks is the government.
And, although it is commonly held that, since individual
automobiles are privately owned, therefore the highway system
upon which they move is under control of the market, this is,
as we have seen, simply not true: the plain fact is that our road
and highway systems are completely under the control of one
level of government or another.
The defense of zoning, land-use controls, and other attempts
on the part of the state to determine the location of individuals
and businesses must be rejected on similar grounds. For one
thing, the government already deploys people and resources
geographically. All big cities, 32 most small towns, counties, and
31Ibid., p. 54. See also Smerk, Urban Transportation, pp. 179 and 203,
where he advocates a new towns policy.
32With the honorable exception of Houston, Texas. See Bernard Siegan,
Land Use Without Zoning (Toronto: D.C. Heath, 1972). See also Walter Block,
ed., Zoning: Its Costs and Relevance for the 1980s (Vancouver: Fraser Institute,
1980).