Rate my argument essay

[sdias]

The following is a memorandum from the office of Mayor Harrison Smith Jones.

"In order to relieve Briggsville’s notorious traffic congestion, Mayor Harrison Smith Jones plans to build a multi-million dollar subway system. The subway will run through the major downtown areas, a part of the town where buses serve as the only form of public transportation. For years, residents have been complaining both about inconsistent buses, and the general lack of safety while riding the buses. Additionally, the subway will be running twenty-four hours a day. Since motorists will spend less time in traffic, Mayor Harrison Smith Jones expects to see an immediate increase in worker productivity, which will improve the economy of Briggsville."

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

 

My response:

The prompt states that the proposed subway should most definitely resolve certain long-pressing issues for the citizens of Briggsville with the introduction of a new subway system. On analyzing the current described situation, certain ambiguities must be analyzed.

Firstly, let's get to the safety factor mentioned in the prompt. It is being assumed that the subways will be safer than buses, which are currently seen as unsafe. It should be seen as to what safety issues are the people facing - whether it is in terms of physical safety, or if there have been constant reports of thefts or safety in terms of getting on and off the bus or frequent bus accidents, etc. Will the subway reduce instances of thefts or accidents? It is possible that bus-related accidents might reduce, but it can't be assured the subway will not introduce new kinds of accidents related to metros in the terminal. Regarding thefts, if security is bumped up, for example with cameras being added, it may reduce incidents of theft but since it isn't mentioned it can't be guaranteed that using a different mode of transport is going to reduce petty crimes and similar cases. More data regarding such incidents in subways in nearby cities may help get a clearer picture of whether safety will be improved and if adding such facilities may help.

Next, coming to the location of the subway hubs, indeed, the downtown areas sound like commuting in well-traveled areas will be easier, but there isn't sufficient information on whether the impact on traffic reduction will be significant or negligible. It hasn't been established whether the downtown area is commercial or residential and whether the subway stops will make it easier for people living on the outskirts of the area to reach their work locations.

Another thing to look at with respect to the location of the subway is if it will actually improve the commute for workers and in turn, help improve the economy. A lot of people may stay far away from the downtown area and may still have to use buses instead. More information regarding the locations of the stops would help get a decent idea about how many people would benefit and whether changing the stop locations would help improve the commute situation for the people.

Although the proposed project may resolve certain issues related to traffic and other bus incidents, getting more data with respect to subway stops and records of nearby subway projects in similar areas may help make sure the project is as effective as intended.