News
The San Antonio Express-News presents a series of posts on energy and transportation relating to a proposed light rail system -- contrasting San Antonio's development and transportation patterns with those of Portland, Ore. San Antonio formed a transportation task force in June 2008 to ensure mobility in the face of rising energy costs.
[This is an EXCERPT: read the whole article here, and related articles in the links below. -Ed.]
by Pat Driscoll
Though crude oil prices plunged by more than half in just a few months, to about $60 a barrel last week, they'll shoot up again, the Paris-based International Energy Agency says in a report that's officially due out Wednesday.
Expect oil prices to remain volatile at least over the next year or two, and average $100 a barrel through 2015 and then double by 2030, the summary says. Without more investment, the world could face an energy crunch after 2010.
San Antonio has its own task force, formed last summer to chart the city's transportation future, including whether light-rail should be a piece of the puzzle. And the group is hearing the message about the possible energy squeeze.
To assess the pros and cons, the Express-News took an on-the-ground look at San Antonio's latest rail ambition and compared our car-centric city to Portland's two-decades-old experiment with rail:
• Is San Antonio ready for light rail?
• Two cities, two paths
• Transit ideas
• Streets made for walking
Photo credit: Frederick Dennstedt 
