Of course in Japan there are usually alternatives. Not always any cheaper though. The bullet train for the same route as above costs 9000 yen, but is 3x faster than driving.

It's because the US is being bifurcated into a 1st world and 3rd world in the same country. Both use significant corruption in very different ways to get things done. The price increases you're seeing is the response to the various types of corruption used.

How do you fix it? Go back to many of the Socialist policies from the '40s that were enacted then, and maintained until the Capitalists chipped at them one at a time. In other words, reign in the Capitalists, and protect the working class. That's a solid way to reduce corruption. It wont happen immediately. It'd likely take a Great Depression style event, ousting of many Capitalists, and laws passed like they were in the 40's.

If it doesn't happen, the Capitalists will just loot more and use their bought out govt regulation to claim legality. And the working class will cheat the capitalists because they wouldn't be able to get back to where they used to be if they didn't. And, the Capitalists need the workers. Not enough people on the rich end to actually do the hard work needed.

But due to lack of ridership, and overhead tolling, they were never going to pay off the bridge.

It's now taken from taxes, everyone in the province pays.

    * Not enough family sized units in the city (drive down cost with supply).
    * Insufficient quality of life in building codes. (Noise, smell, clean air, green spaces)
    * Lack of vertical density;
      This is begging for Cave of Steel like results complete with indoor parks and atriums.