Public Transit Vital For Future Of The U.S.

In the second of his two op-eds on the future of transportation in the United States, columnist Neal Peirce looks at the role of public transit.

2 minute read

December 6, 2006, 8:00 AM PST

By Michael Dudley


"So how about public transit - new streetcar lines, regional heavy- and light-rail commuter lines? Polls show people strongly in favor - to get to work or to reach entertainment and stadiums - at least to ease other drivers off the roads. More than two-thirds of transit-related measures were approved by voters in last month's elections. Kansas City suggested the shifting public sentiment - after earlier rejections, voters approved a ballot measure authorizing a three-eighths of a cent sales tax for a 27-mile light-rail system.

Yet, as expensive as new and expanded transit may be, the ultimate question isn't money (indeed the federal government's "New Starts" fund is swamped with 200 applications and shrinking dollars). Rather, it's whether we have the will to reshape urban America in more compact, livable, energy-conscious ways. That means organizing regionally on multiple fronts:

Champion transit-oriented development; Make transit stops beacons of living for America's new millions; Do away with mandatory parking slots for new buildings - let the market decide; Focus on reducing auto trips for errands - they're much more numerous than commute trips, studies show. To keep the cars parked, make "erranding" by foot or cycling much easier.

Finally, and critically, we need fresh vision to associate compactness with lively and resilient towns, combating climate change and making us less dependent on foreign oil. We owe it to ourselves and our children - a new, highly relevant 21st century patriotism."

Monday, December 4, 2006 in The Seattle Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

People walking up and down stairs in New York City subway station.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving

Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

April 18 - Scientific American

White public transit bus with bike on front bike rack in Nashville, Tennessee.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan

Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

April 18 - Bloomberg CityLab

An engineer controlling a quality of water ,aerated activated sludge tank at a waste water treatment plant.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding

The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.

April 18 - Smart Cities Dive