With transit systems still far below historic levels, and congestion not budging, the worst effects of an automobile dependent nation fall on the environment and low-income households.

One of the big questions of the early pandemic was about the future of transportation systems: Would transit riders ever find a bus or train commute safe again? Would congestion disappear forever or come back worse than ever?
During the height of stay-at-home orders—weeks of empty streets and reports of urban dwellers fleeing forever for suburban and rural locations—it might have seemed like a future without congestion was possible.
Now, two-plus years after the beginning of the pandemic, transit ridership is still down from pre-pandemic levels and congestion is still the order of the day for most American commuters. The choices of hundreds of millions of commuters have far-reaching consequences, social, economic, and environmental, and researchers are only beginning to account for the effects of the change.
An article by Jaclene Begley, Leah Brooks, Brian J. McCabe, Jenny Schuetz, and Stan Veuger for the Brookings Institution explores the Washington, D.C. area as a case study of post-pandemic commute patterns, citing data and findings reported in the “State of the Capital Region” report recently published by the Center for Washington Area Studies and authored by the same group as the article.
Among the article’s, and the report’s, findings are that decreases job centralization is contributing to a decline of transit ridership in the region. Job centralization is a central to the performance of a “hub and spoke” transportation system. “Metrorail’s hub-and-spoke system was designed to carry workers from their suburban homes to that downtown core, as well as to supporting businesses like coffeeshops, restaurants, and bars. Tourists relied on Metrorail to access centrally located hotels, museums, and entertainment venues,” according to the article.
The report raises the point that transit ridership was declining before the arrival of Covid-19 to the United States. While the report acknowledges that the shift reflects consumer trends and preferences, there are numerous reasons why commuters should choose alternative modes:
Moving commuters in individual cars (especially sole-occupant vehicles) requires much more physical space compared to shared buses or trains. Smaller shares of transit riders mean more traffic congestion and longer commute times for everyone. The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and localized air pollution; more drivers and fewer transit riders leads to worse air quality and more negative health outcomes in the region. Owning and maintaining a car is expensive; these costs are especially onerous for low- and moderate-income households. And finally, not everyone is legally or physically able to drive; children, people with disabilities, and older adults are among the groups who are most reliant on non-car transportation.
Finally, the article notes the equity issues raised by underinvesting in public transit: the consequences of car-centric planning, automobile dependency, and poor public transit fall hardest on low-income households.
FULL STORY: Greater Washington’s commuters continue to choose gridlock

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.