Subways Again

I hadnt brought up Subways in a while, but I was thinking about it today. How did the build Subways in New York City in the early 20s? I mean it must have cost a fortune. Yet there is no money for it anywhere apparently. Where does the money come from?

Some say we should privatize public transportation. Let some private company build it, and then let them charge people to use it and make money off it. I have a better idea. Lets privatize the regular highways. Interstates and Larger thoroughfares. Lets sell the 405 free way in LA. From Sylmar to Anaheim. We will sell it off to the highest bidder and then they can charge whatever tolls they want on it. They will be responsible for the up keep. And we will use the profits to build a subway.

Look, I don't want to sound like "tin-foil hat wearing crazy person" but this is nuts. I recently read that in the next 20 years. 120 Billion Dollars will be spent on transportation in Southern California. Of that 120 Billion, 100 Billion will go to upkeep and maintaining surface roads, highways and interstates. Of the other 20 about 18 billion will go to new highway projects. With the rest going to public transit.

Ok this is really outrageous. And I hate to use that word. Subways and trains cost a lot to build in the beginning, but they cost next to nothing to maintain. People refer to transit projects as boondoggles and money pits. Am I the only one who sees this over dependance on the automobile as a much bigger money pit than transit could ever be. 5 billion dollars a year just to keep repaving higways in LA and San Diego???

There must be a better way.
-T