Why Transit - Quality Places
Street cafe in a transit oriented development in Bethesda, MD (Source: RACTOD Flickr)
Mobility
Livable, walkable communities - TOD
Improved quality of life
Health and safety
References
Additional resources
Mobility
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of public transportation is improved mobility. Transit connects the places we live, work, and play. It provides reliable options, eases congestion, and makes it easier to get around. Mobility is also about equity. In an auto-dominated system, true mobility is possible only for those who are able to afford and operate an automobile. This excludes huge numbers of people: the very young, the very old, disabled, and those who are low-income. Investing in public transportation helps older residents remain independent and keeps teenagers off the roads. It provides everyone with an opportunity to get to work regardless of age, income or disability.
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Livable, walkable communities - TOD
Multiple polls of residents have indicated strong support for improving public transportation service with transit oriented development around stations.1 Transit oriented development - or TOD - is the compact, mixed-use development that occurs along transit lines, particularly around transit stations. These types of developments are designed for humans, rather than for cars. They are more pleasant to walk in because they are safer, more attractive, and designed for pedestrians. There is a growing demand for more of this lifestyle, and for those who desire it, TOD's provide a much higher quality of life. Click here for more information about TOD.
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Improved quality of life (less stress, more free time)
A typical commuter in our area spends an additional 47 hours each year in traffic, and spends an estimated $928 in congestion-related costs.2 Americans living in areas served by public transportation, on the other hand, save 646 million hours in travel time and 398 million gallons of fuel annually, according to the most recent Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) report on congestion.3 These savings don't just apply to transit users. A study of six cities found that motorists with the same destinations as transit riders saved a total of 21,981 hours daily thanks to reduced congestion, and those driving parallel saved 20,691 daily hours.4 Freeing up this time and easing congestion reduces stress and allows for more time to spend at home with your family, watching your kid's game, enjoying the arts and entertainment of your community, or engaging in any activity other than driving: a benefit applying to riders and non-riders alike.
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Health and safety
Automobile travel is one of Florida’s most expensive public health issues. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of fatalities and expensive emergency health costs among many groups of Floridians. Ground-based mass transit is statistically much safer than air and about 150 times safer than travel by automobile.3
Public transportation users are also more likely to meet recommended exercise goals. When Americans use public transportation, they walk more. Walking increases fitness levels, leading to healthier citizens and less strain on the health care system.3 The same is true of TOD residents, who are more likely to achieve recommended levels of physical activity through daily walking than residents of automobile-oriented communities.5 An excellent example of this comes from Charlotte, NC, where a recent study found that riders of their newly constructed Blue Line lost an average of 6.5 pounds and were 81% less likely to be obese over time.6
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References
(1) MPO Summary of Public Input, 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan, July 20, 2009. ONEBAY Partnership Poll by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, June 2009.
(2) HART Rapid Transit Solutions Brochure, 2010.
(3) Florida Public Transportation Association, Transit Facts/Benefits, http://floridatransit.org/transitfacts.html.
(4) Weyrich, Paul M. and Lind, William S. How Transit Benefits People Who Do Not Ride It: A conservative inquiry, Free Congress Foundation, October 2003.
(5) University of Minnesota, Center for Transportation Studies, How Light-Rail Transit Improves Job Access for Low-Wage Workers (Research Brief), March 2010.
(6) MacDonald, J. et al., "The Effect of Light Rail Transit on Body Mass Index and Physical Activity," American Journal of Preventitive Medicine 2010; 39(2):105-112.
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Additional resources
Check out this report on the health benefits of improved public transportation: http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/APTA_Health_Benefits_Litman.pdf