WHY SHOULD WE GIVE MONEY ON TRANSIT INSTEAD OF OTHER PUBLIC NEEDS?

Posted on | March 31, 2010 | No Comments

I believe transit can have great benefits for a city therefore it is worth investing our money in.  It is difficult for people in cities, which do not have a mass transit system to really understand the benefits it can provide.  Therefore to start support and convince voters to invest is extremely difficult.  I hope to shed a little light on the benefits for people debating whether if transit is a good idea.

People who desire to live in places where they have easy access to many amenities usually end up near a transit line.  They have access to these amenities because they just have to jump on the transit line instead of in a car where you fight traffic and have to find somewhere to park.  The stops on transit lines usually become popular destinations because businesses locate on them.  The businesses see the economic benefit of locating near a transit stop just from pure exposure to large amount of people passing by.  Therefore Transit lines can serve to boost blighted areas and bring people back.  The chart demonstrates the increase in value of property along a transit lines from when it is proposed.  Just the talk of transit spurs increased values.  Imagine what could happen to an area if the transit line actually is completed.

There has been a lot of talk lately about American’s dependence on foreign oil.  According to Natural Resource Defense Council (nrdc.org) we spend $200,000 per minute on foreign oil, which translates to Americans shelling out $249 per capita for foreign oil interest.  This is money we are sending out of our country instead of spending it within our borders.  I believe transit is one way to stop foreign oil spending and use that money to reinvest in our communities.  Getting out of our cars and into mass transit will reduce our need for foreign oil.  This combined with renewable energy should allow us to almost become completely independent from foreign oil.

These are two good arguments for transit but still why does it matter?  It all comes down to what kind of environment you want to live in.  The economic climate has changed and it is time our cities built environments catch up!  Transit has proven to fill those shoes for improving the economic climate of a city such as in Portland; who are leaders of transit in the USA.  I think Indianapolis can easily jump on board and become a leader considering we are the crossroads of American!

Comments