Because too many people still drive alone. That's why. At least that's what David Alpert over at the always smart and thought-provoking Greater Greater Washington blog seems to be saying (Over Four Times the People and No Traffic, January 23, 2009). David says:
"If our region is to grow, we need to help more people reach their jobs. One approach is to add traffic lanes and parking garages at enormous cost, both financial and in lost urban vitality. The other solution is to move people as we did on Tuesday."
David also shares a great editorial on WAMU with Cheryl Cort of the Coalition for Smarter Growth who said: "The inauguration showed us how we can grow our economy without growing traffic," she said. Yet our federal and local policies keep moving us in the wrong direction..Many of [the 160,000 daily auto] commuters could be coaxed onto trains, buses and even bicycles if we make smooth, convenient, and safe trips a priority. But we don't. Instead, we are cutting transit service while letting bicycle improvements languish."
David ends the post with this money quote: "If we could get 1.8 million people in and out of downtown DC without any traffic, we can get 500, 600, or 700,000 people in and out every day smoothly with better transit, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. All that's holding us back is our elected leadership and our ability to envision a better region."
David is right. We need to invest in more transit, ped and bike infrastructure. And let's hope that the coming Stimulus package tilts more towards these kinds of long-term investments rather than roads. But we can also get better efficiency out of the existing system almost immediately. Put some of that Stimulus into TDM (Time for Plan B for Northern Virginia Traffic. Invest More in TDM, July 16, 2008). Since TDM is about operations it can be ramped up quickly with a quick return on investment. We need to get leaders to understand this too.
Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County in the Transportation Division of the Department of Environmental Services, manager of CommuterPageBlog and a Metro/biking commuter from Rosemont in Alexandria.
Comments