The real problem: too many cars

Waltham Voices : "Recently, I attended a neighborhood meeting concerning future development at 1265 Main Street. In order for that development to expand, the developer needs to have a traffic plan approved that will get the traffic out of the Cedarwood neighborhood. New ramps to and from the highway as well as roadways parallel to Route 128 to move the traffic between Route 20 and Route 117 are part of the proposed solution.
This may help keep the traffic out of the neighborhood but really does nothing about the real problem, which is there are just too many cars. Adding more lanes to 128 or access roads beside it will simply allow more cars to be caught in a traffic jam."

Campaign for YouthPass in Boston -- decision of MassDot coming up soon.

Post by Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition.

More people using #publictransit in Rhode Island

brown daily herald: "The measure would address congestion at Kennedy Plaza and the lack of synchronization between the rail service and the bus service, said Scott Wolf, executive director of Grow Smart Rhode Island. “We are clearly seeing more people turning to public transit as a viable transportation form,” Wolf said. Without a good connection for transfers from commuter rail to the bus service, commuters are forced to “improvise,” which presents a hassle for commuters and paints Providence as a less attractive area for “young talent,” he added."

Attracting talent a zero-sum game. Got #transit?

Providence Journal : "Providence is struggling to reinvent itself. Attracting young college graduates will be essential to its success.
To reach this population, Providence must offer an updated transportation system, making it easy to move quickly from place to place. People now in their 20s and early 30s are showing a decided preference for going carless. Dependable bus and train service therefore figures strongly in their choice of where to live."

The high cost of freeways

There are many hidden costs to support the auto and sprawl, but we could have free public transit for $100 annual per person tax and easily recover ten time that amount.

masslive.com: "SPRINGFIELD — The average Springfield driver loses more than $1,600 each year as a result of driving on congested, deteriorated and poorly maintained roads, according to a report released on Tuesday by TRIP, a national nonprofit transportation research group based in Washington, D.C."

Important victory for #youthpass in Boston

Timeline Photos - Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition: "After an intense year of actions, tweets, signatures, and arrests, WE'VE GOT OUR VICTORY! In addition to weekends being made available in all Student Passes for free, YAC has won our Pilot, & then some!"

Group stages sit-in for public transit YouthPasses at Massachusetts Department of Transportation headquarters in Boston

masslive.com: "A group advocating for $10 a month unlimited passes for 12 to 21 year olds in Boston staged a sit-in on Monday at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation headquarters in Boston."

Ireland - reduced youth fares expanded. #youthpass

Older teens to get child fares on public transport - Independent.ie: "From August, the lower rate which currently has a cut-off age of 15 will apply to 16 to 18-year-olds as well.

The "simplified" package of fares was announced following discussions between Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and parents.

The cheaper prices will apply to everyone using a Leap card aged between four and 18."

Boston-area youth need boost a T pass would offer

The Boston Globe: "...bus fare is typically one-fourth or more of a week’s pay.

It’s hard enough for city youth to thrive. Our transportation system should help give them a step up, not be stacked against them."

Young people in Boston cannot afford the bus, need #youthpass

Open Media Boston: "According to a letter delivered to the MBTA by the Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition (YAC) during the demonstration, “thousands and thousands of us – our peers, friends, and classmates – have missed school, work, essential services, and many other opportunities for enrichment, community, and culture, because we cannot afford the price of the MBTA.”"

Young people need better mobility - Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition #youthpass

(1) Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition: "YAC fights for a $10 YOUTH PASS for everyone 12-21 available ALL YEAR with no time or day restrictions. thhe youth pass is a solution to the YOUTH RIDER CRISIS that strands 1/3 of Boston's youth riders from school, work, extracurriculars, healthcare, & safe travel - all because they CAN'T AFFORD THE T.
TWEET EVERY DAY! ".@mbta we demand a $10 #YOUTHPASS NOW - NOT ANOTHER HIKE!""

photo https://www.facebook.com/DotEnviro

Portsmouth turns to #freetransit shuttle as cars choke town center

New Hampshire Public Radio: "The city has committed $100,000 to fund a new free shuttle service. A 16-passenger van will transport visitors and downtown workers from a church parking lot located near I95. The pilot project will run weekends only right now."

It's a race to the top. First town to conquer the car, wins.

nerej.com : "Encouraging employees, residents, and consumers to work, live, and shop within the city depends on both investment in public transit and transit-oriented development. Remaining competitive as a city necessitates innovation, and the potential benefits are difficult to pass over."

Americans use cars for 70% of trips under 1 mile

Darien News : "Despite these gains, the U.S. still lags way behind other developed nations. In a recent issue of The Atlantic, Ralph Buehler cited 2010 statistics showing that, while Americans drive for 85 percent of their daily trips, Europeans opt for cars only 50 to 65 percent of the time. "Longer trip distances only partially explain the difference," reported Buehler, adding that 30 percent of daily trips are shorter than a mile on both continents. "But of those under-one-mile trips, Americans drove almost 70 percent of the time, while Europeans made 70 percent of their short trips by bicycle, foot or public transportation.""

Bridgeport bus service pretty lame

City’s public bus transportation lacking | The Bridgeport News: "Unfortunately, for the thousands who use public buses, poor on-time performance and service gaps are chronic problems that never seem to get fixed in a sustained and meaningful way.

Of course, increased funding of the state’s public bus system is long overdue and a goal worth fighting for. In the meantime, the bus-riding public must refuse to be taken for granted and demand the respect they deserve, as customers who pay up front — before they ride — and receive no credit for poor service."

How to save millions and protect your town from bad urban planning

Connecticut is taking 18 months to make a 50 transport plan. Here is an idea. Make all urban buses fare-free and the people will show you what the needs are.

The Day - Public backs state transit initiatives | News from southeastern Connecticut: "The state is seeking public feedback through a series of forums and a website, as the first step in developing a 50-year plan for the Department of Transportation. The planning initiative, called Transform CT, was launched in June and will take about 1½ years to complete."

Is New Haven #publictransit fair and useful to all equally?

Staff find public transport lacking | Yale Daily News: "Of the 10 Yale Dining employees interviewed, only two use the public transit system. All said walking or owning a car was a far more reliable option than the transportation that the city provides. A Durfee’s employee who asked to remain anonymous said the CT Transit bus system does not fill her needs because there are not many options when her shift ends late at night. She added that the Yale Shuttle does not serve her neighborhood.

“So how am I supposed to get home after that? I don’t even know if I’m going to have money for a cab.”

Any deficiency of public transit is a tremendous hazard for New Haven residents, according to the 2012 Data Haven WellBeing Survey administered by the New Haven public information nonprofit DataHaven. The survey said that 27 percent of Greater New Haven households are “zero car” households with “no reliable vehicle” and that, because of this, they are denied access to approximately half the jobs in the Greater New Haven area."

Piscataquis Village -- Project to build a #carfree city

Piscataquis Village Project: "Development of the Village would be guided by a set of building covenants specifically composed to create a space, as it is built out, in the traditional city pattern of Europe and early North America, in which foot or bicycle was the primary method of transportation.

Motor vehicles would be parked at the perimeter of the development in a green belt of at least 375 acres, which other than the parking area, would be a permanently protected zone for agriculture and outdoor recreation."

Still more to be done for public transportation

MetroWest Daily News : "Orsino said people are turning to public transit in the state and across the nation to avoid paying high prices for gas, parking, insurance and other costs of owning a car.
"People are very aware of public transit and want to use it," she said. "Plus, with an aging population, having public transit options is important. Seniors are much more active than in the past."
Young adults are also more aware and inclined to use public transit, she said.
While the MBTA’s commuter rail system brings people from Boston to suburbs and cities, "what about up and down main street?" Orsino said."



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Government supports #freetransit for upscale colleges, why not everyone?

Citiscope: "“Even if people don’t use the system, they support it, because they do understand the environmental impact...”.

... the five-college service has endured partly due to parallel efforts to dissuade vehicle use with parking fees in downtown and campus locations. “There has to be a cost associated with driving a single-occupancy car that makes the use of public transportation viable.”.

...The service is funded by the federal government, the Massachusetts state legislature, the five colleges and participating communities. In fiscal year 2013, annual ridership totaled more than 2.9 million passengers and the operating budget was $3.8 million."

See more at: http://citiscope.org/story/2014/tallinn-removed-transit-fares-free-buses-linked-five-colleges-us

Most Walkable Cities in U.S. – AARP

Most Walkable Cities in U.S. – AARP: "We’re glad to hear that, and we’re pleased to see Dan Burden, cofounder of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute (WALC) — and a frequent contributor to the AARP Great Places blog — being quoted as an expert source. About cities  creating high-density housing and reinventing town centers so residents can walk to their destinations, Burden tells Governing, “A lot of the towns are making these transitions well and becoming the best places to live and raise a family.”"



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Candidate for governor of Massachusetts understands fares are for rationing, not revenue

Transportation | Berwick for Governor: "I will regard fare increases on mass transit as the last and least desirable of all revenue sources: we need more ridership, not less.

@berwickforMA

...I will pursue policies that encourage increasing use of public and mass transit, as well as bicycles, as part of a comprehensive energy and carbon reduction policy; "

Conn. officials call on Congress to extend tax benefit for public transportation commuters

therepublic.com: "NEW HAVEN, Connecticut — Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp are calling on Congress to extend a federal tax benefit for commuters who use public transportation."

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Climate change models underestimate likely temperature rise, report shows

theguardian.com: "The Earth’s climate is far more sensitive to carbon dioxide emissions than previously thought, heightening the likelihood of a 4C temperature rise by 2100, new Australian-led research of cloud systems has found.

The study, published in Nature, provides new understanding on the role of cloud formation in climate sensitivity – one of the key uncertainties in predictions of climate change."

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