America's Troubled Roads

摘要

Americans have never been able to resist a road. The building of a road is the essence of the freedom and mobility that Americans cherish. Americans want to be able to experience and enjoy their country-landscapes, cities, personalities-from the convenience of their family car. It is no wonder, then, that the white-hot dispute over the proper uses of public land in America is quickly centering on roads. On the one hand are environmental groups pushing to keep roads out of wilderness areas. They supported President Clinton's Roadless Area Conservation Rule (roadless rule), which prohibited road construction in many untouched public lands. This rule, of course, has ignited fierce opposition from many groups on the other side of the political spectrum. On the other hand are many groups, usually sparsely populated counties of western states and motorized vehicle recreationists, pushing to construct and upgrade roads on public lands under the R.S. 2477 statute.