Look around during your next morning commute to work along Hamilton's congested highways and roads.

What will you see? Hundreds of gas-guzzling personal vehicles all driven by one person with nobody else in the car.

For decades this scenario has been the standard way for people to travel from place to place. But as more people clog our streets and freeways, contributing to the destruction of our environment, building asphalt highways, and driving personal vehicles, it's becoming increasingly obvious this type of transportation system isn't sustainable economically nor environmentally. Something has to change.

North American society is on the cusp of a paradigm shift in lifestyle the likes of which we haven't seen since the late 19th century when the internal combustion engine was invented and oil was discovered.

For too long now our economy and lifestyle have been fueled by the auto manufacturers and by the liquid gold that is pumped daily out of the ground. But oil is reaching its peak and costs are soaring.

Hamilton is attempting to adjust to this futuristic way of life. It is proposing to revamp the city's public transportation system that would incorporate either light rail or bus rapid transit.

During two recent public meetings it seemed people were more concerned about why Hamilton didn't start improving its public transit system sooner.

But despite what would be a revolutionary way of getting around the city, a light rail system is merely the first step in what has to be a complete reorganization of how we as a society travel from place to place.

European countries long ago recognized the limitations of private vehicles and highways. Bremen, Germany, a city with a population the same as Hamilton's, has constructed a transportation system that results in about 60 per cent of trips conducted by public transit, cycling or walking.

Officials have meticulously created a car unfriendly city, with traffic calming streets for bikes and multi-modal hubs that links transit, bikes, taxis and car sharing that has eliminated 700 personal vehicles in the city.

Former Burlington mayor Rob MacIsaac, who is now chair of Metrolinx, has called establishing an improved public transit plan for the Greater Toronto Area's our "last best chance" to improve society.

The GTA, which includes Hamilton, is home to about 6 million people. In 30 years the population is expected to grow to about 9 million people. And with those millions of extra people will come the potential for an additional 1.5 million more cars.

Already, as most people can attest, the GTA is in the top five of the most congested cities in North America, comparable to the parking lot environment the Los Angeles freeways have become.

Studies have indicated congestion already costs the GTA between $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion a year in cost through lost time, expenses and wasted fuel.

"We are quickly becoming dysfunctional," Mr. MacIsaac said.

Mr. MacIsaac calls our current public transit system "Soviet-style" unwilling to bend to what the public wants and an inability to meet their demands.

Metrolinx is attempted to change how we view public transit. New smart card technology called Presto was introduced in a pilot program last year to favourable results. There has been more money spent on Go Transit, and bus and Vail Rail service. But more needs to be done - much more.

Hamilton's transportation masterplan has adopted a conservative goal of eliminating 20 per cent of personal vehicles by 2020. There has also been talk about converting the city's downtown area into a pedestrian walkway, and establishing more bike lanes.

Politicians and the rest of society must understand that their choices on how they want to live are quickly becoming limited as global pressures exert unavoidable pressures.

Understanding is the first step to accepting that what has been done in the past may be unattainable in the future.

As Mr. MacIsaac asks: "What kind of place do you want to leave your kids and grandkids?"