Bright Metro Futures Hinge on Transit

"Ridership is now surging nationwide (even with $1.50 gas). And for cities aiming to be "green" and globally competitive, New York's transit-centered approach poses a powerful model."

"MTA's commission was headed by Jonathan Rose, an illustrious developer of environmentally friendly and transit-accessible housing. Rose insists that transit is the necessary centerpiece of planning the future as the New York region adds an expected 4 million new residents and 3 million new jobs by 2030. If New York or any other region hopes for a sustainable future, he insists, development needs to be channeled carefully, consistently, into transit-oriented clusters rather than sprawl.'

"But the secret's not just having more transit lines–though the commission recommends the MTA do just that. It's about shifting zoning and other policies to make sure the lion's share of new residential and business development is located in transit-accessible city and neighborhood cores. And then insisting the "last mile" of transit accessibility be covered by flexible feeder buses as well as pedestrian and bike improvements."

"Cars and trucks won't go away under this new approach. But the region will have a more efficient, 'robust, resilient, multimodal, fine-grained system,' argues Rose."