A Comparative Study of U.S. and Swiss Transportation Systems

Abstract

While I was studying environmental sciences and urban studies in Switzerland, I was shocked by the general consensus that seems to prevail in the French literature about the failure of the United States to build efficient cities. Relentlessly, U.S. land use and transportation systems were cited as the “worst that could happen” and the “example to avoid.” For this reason, I decided to study urban planning in the U.S. in order to truly experience what is the American way of life, its shortcomings and its advantages. Today, I am more able to compare my native country with my temporary adoptive country, but I caution the reader that this study will inevitably be influenced by my cultural background and that this could result in a few biases.