Reconnecting America: Integrating Transportation Systems and the Communities They Serve

Editor's Notes

• #7: ( Left) The traditional view is the city generates more emissions than surrounding areas (Right) In reality, emissions per capita are much lower in the city In 2006, transit saved an estimated 3.4 billion gallons of gasoline in the US. Transit reduced global warming emission by nearly 26 million metric tons. In New York State alone, transit avoided 11.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution --- more than was produced by the entire economies of RI, VT or DC!
• #8: American want more housing choices but they also want more transportation choices. There’s been an explosion of interest in transit across the country. Because the demand for federal funding far exceeds available money, and because the federal review process is very costly and time-consuming, a growing number of regions are finding ways to fund transit locally. Many are working with the private sector to raise money for new lines and stations, and I’ll tell you more about that later. Denver, Austin, Houston, the San Francisco Bay Area, Charlotte, Atlanta, New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. are all either striking out on their own or partnering with the private sector.
• #9: Pittsburgh from 42K HH in 2000 to 98K HH demand in 2030
• #10: Commuter Rail Experiencing 2 nd Highest Ridership Growth Rates (after light rail UP 32% Since 1995 Up 5.2% in 2 nd Q 2008 3,500+ existing stations in 27 regions with “fixed-guideway transit” 630 additional stations planned in 15 regions with new systems 45 members of the national Community Streetcar Coalition Private sector is contributing to transit construction Funding can’t keep pace with plans
• #11: Traditional neighborhoods are developed for traditional families. 21st century neighborhoods need to accommodate diversity. People want different kinds of housing today -- lofts and live-work spaces, condos, townhomes, row houses. This is the kind of housing that’s hot in Los Angeles today. Downtown L.A. is the new hot residential neighborhood, even though there isn’t a single grocery store downtown because the only people who have been living there in the last 50 years are homeless. There are 150 projects in development in downtown, and 90 of them include a residential element. 26 are loft projects -- the Central City Association anticipates that 10,000 renters and buyers will tour downtown this weekend for its annual open house tour.
• #17: Transit operations spending provides a direct infusion to the local economy. 570 jobs are created for each $10 million invested in the short run. 59 communities across the U.S. that face job cuts, service reductions and fare hikes, but will receive no assistance under the current recovery proposals before Congress to prevent these painful cuts. Together, these systems are responsible for more than 20 million trips each day by everyday Americans. Map is continuously updated and available at: www.t4america.org/transitcuts
• #19: -everyone feels it Lots of discussion about change What kind of change are we talking about? - and why now? – this first
• #20: Era of cheap gasoline is over - Americans are hurting - older and rural Americans are stranded – people we know and pieces in the news about the older couple in a rural area who is not going to needed doctor’s visit because the gas cost is too high Families cancelling trips, trying to figure out how to cut their gas costs because it is eating away at their household budget Our foreign policy has a strangle hold on our economy Time of opportunity too: Demographics are changing – RCLC study from last year- more than 30% of all households today would move to a closer in, more compact neighborhood where they can walk places – IF THEY COULD AFFORD IT – that was demand before gas prices went up By 2040 – more than 3/4 th of all households will be without kids – empty nesters and singles or couples without kids – more likely to want town center, more diverse kinds of homes. Highway Trust Fund is broke – not enough money for the next year System is broken – states are not keeping up what they already have – crumbling infrastructure – tragedy of the MN bridge last year – just waiting to happen elsewhere
• #21: Create jobs - from highway maintenance and repair to public transit upgrades to green housing and neighborhood construction. Build a world-class rail network — both between cities and within them — that links our communities, transports people and goods more smoothly and makes our economy more competitive. Protect what we built – maintain what we have and fix that before we build any new roads. Help people drive less, avoid unpredictable gas prices, get healthy and stay active in their own neighborhoods through expanded construction of public transit, bicycle routes, and safe sidewalks to walk on. Set and enforce national transportation standards, but empower local communities to decide what is necessary to meet those goals as well as the needs of its neighborhoods and residents.
• #22: Portland Streetcar generated approximately 17 times the public investment in private investment.
• #25: Regions are NETWORKS of CORRIDORS Corridors present different market opportunities Corridors can change over time with growth More research needed Density thresholds Market dynamics Ridership implications VMT Impacts
• #32: Photos at the bottom show women who have just gotten off a bus in a suburban area, trying to cross the street to get to a mall where they are trying to shop. Details in TOD are critical in accruing benefits.
• #34: Greenbuild Expo 2007: TOD and Sustainable Urbanism 01/25/13
• #36: 7,248 housing units built 4.6 million sq ft of office Record # of building permits issued 7 years in a row Portland met its 20yr. housing goal in 7 years on 1/10th the land Properties closest to streetcar developed at 90% of permitted density
• #37: Land value around station up 81% in 10 years 8% of county land generates 33% of county revenues 50% of residents take transit to work, 73% walk to stations Modest increase in traffic Surrounding single-family homes preserved