> A minor, but still significant, area of research to great public transport adoption is the last mile problem. Bicycles, scooters, Segways, OneWheel... hoverboards?

The big problem here at this point is not individual innovation into new devices. We already have folding scooters, folding bikes, bike share, scooter share, etc. I already combine a folding scooter with public transport in Munich and it works fairly well for me for many trips.

The real problem is that in many cities, the infrastructure to support these things is extraordinarily terrible. For example, there are literally zero cities in the US with decent bike infrastructure -- and it's bike lanes/paths that fit the kind of devices you're talking about -- let alone good infrastructure. The city I'm in, Munich, hits the decent mark, but still has a ways to go before being 'good'. And it only works well for me because I'm a relatively healthy/fit adult, an elderly person or a child would have more problems.

The last-mile problem is solved by reducing it to a last-quarter-mile problem: improving public transportation density.

the last-mile problem is made up to justify post-hoc why public transit sucks, when really it sucks because it is underfunded (as an intentional act of sabotage)

I wonder who exactly would vote to pay for that. Covering the entire US to a quarter-mile resolution would probably be the most expensive project ever undertaken.