Transit, Walkable Communities and Gas Prices

Transit use benefits the entire community by providing cost-efficient transportation choices while providing access to jobs and health care and reducing congestion on roadways. Work completed since the adoption of Legacy includes the Central City Streetcar Study, the Regional Commuter Rail Study and the Human Services Coordination Plan. There has even been some increase in transit ridership since the adoption of Legacy. The highest year for ridership was 2009 after gas prices exceeded $4 a gallon. Regional transit has enjoyed even larger increases; ridership quadrupled between 2003 and 2010.

Transit/pedestrian-oriented design also needs to be utilized more by the community to create the livable, walkable communities that Legacy calls for. However, there are still issues as to whether the community should be more prescriptive concerning the design of pedestrian-friendly developments, even in the urban areas.