The tension betwen liberal environmentalism and nominally liberal conservationism is nothing new. The writers at Blue Mass Group have pointed out how shameful the not-in-my-backyard opposition to Cape Cod wind farms is, especially when couched in presumably liberal and universalist terms.
But what better textbook example of perversion of liberal aims could we look for than in the opposition to the Green Line T extension to Medford? The Globe reports today,
Extending the trolley line to the Hillside area around Tufts University has received strong support, McGlynn said. But there are objections to extending the proposed line farther to West Medford, which is suffering a parking shortage and crowded streets caused by nonresident use of a commuter rail stop…
‘’Everybody is in support of better public transit, and we’re also in support of smart growth initiatives," said Lauren DiLorenzo, Medford’s director of community development and a member of the MBTA’s Green Line extension advisory committee. ‘’But we also recognize . . . that there are often unplanned negative impacts as a result of certain projects."
I’m also in favor of smart growth initiatives. Only smart growth refers to the limitation of the unchecked market leading to suburban sprawl in favor of sensible planning for density, accessibility and open environment. Smart growth means finding ways to structure suburban life with alternatives to the automobile, not restricting public transportation because it has unplanned negative impacts. Any civil engineering project of any size has unplanned negative impacts; public transportation has the potential for a lot of unexpected positive impact on Somerville and Medford.
We face a choice between a future with multiple transportation means, or one oriented solely around the automobile. There’s nothing smart or noble about choosing the latter for sheer short-term, self-interest.
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