The road industry's gravy train is coming to an end as their investments promoting automobile use no longer translate into increased gas consumption. So they are now looking for a new business model that will guarantee growing revenue for their industry in the 21st century. That has little to do with meeting transportation needs and everything to do with maintaining and increasing dependence on the automobile.

We aren't maintaining our existing roads, instead we are spending money on...

"of course, many are assuming that the election was rigged/stolen in the first place. but i've yet to see proof that this is the case"

Once you have a conspiracy theory, everything can be made to fit it. The current media frenzy on Iran is just the latest example of how media narratives work the same way. The only evidence the election was rigged/stolen is that many people didn't expect the outcome.

"I'm also reasonably confident that many Iranians do believe that the current...

"Municipalities say they don't have the dough or staff, but engineers claim the return on investment is under a year."

MnDOT wastes billions of dollars moving congestion from one place to the another like a cat chasing its tail. That keeps engineers employed. But that gas tax money could be better spent on cost effective investments in Intelligent Transportation Systems, like timing traffic lights, and properly maintaining highways so they don't have to be replaced every 10-20 years...

If you want peace, the solution to the conflict is obvious. Readmit to Israel the Palestinian refugees who fled their homes during the war and their descendents. Give everyone in the country full, equal political rights, just as Israeli Arabs have now. Provide some legal process for Palestinians to regain their homes or be compensated for their loss. Except for extremists on both sides, this would end the violence.

Of course, sometimes there are things more important to people than...