Automated transport may turn our roads into forests

With the promised efficiencies of automated cars it is expected to significantly reduce congestion and thereby decrease the sizes of our roads. I just read a great article on Steemit by @creatr about the CES (consumer electronic show) in vegas, in which they mention drones that can carry two people. While automated personal flight may be further away than automated cars, it certainly has the potential to reduce the need for roads even further.

Even if we don't use the roads why turn them into forests?

Firstly money, roads cost quite a lot to be maintained, even if they are not being used.

If nature wants to reclaim our roads, I say lets help it. The benefits of more park space in our cities range from environmental to communal. And it has already begun with another transport system that has seen its usage decrease (ironically due to roads) railway lines. While most disused train tracks are outside cities, and are mainly being repurposed as cycle paths here is an example of a disused train track in a city.

As many may recognize this is High Line in New York city, an amazing place I was lucky enough to visit this summer.

This future may never happen but I ask you all to take a minute and imagine just 5% of the roads in your cities turning into parks, interconnected parks!