A recent article in The Guardian described the “death spiral” looming for public transit in the United States. Country-wide, the pandemic has resulted in a 90% drop in ridership. This has led to cuts in services—which means even less ridership—and higher fares to make up for lost revenue. Higher fares lead to fewer riders…which means more higher fares, more cuts in services, or both. And so on. You see where this is going.
To save public transit, Congress may have to fill a $32 billion funding gap...but no funding package currently exists. Transportation advocates also warn that cuts in services exacerbate a “mobility crisis” that already existed for our cities’ most vulnerable people.
This article prompted a lively conversation on this week’s episode of Upzoned, with host Abby Kinney—an urban planner in Kansas City—and cohost Chuck Marohn, president of Strong Towns. Abby and Chuck discuss why the mortal danger facing public transit was always going to be an option when you overlay a dysfunctional transportation system on a dysfunctional land-use pattern, why public transit is a long-term investment in people, and how the U.S. subsidizes automobiles too. They also discuss whether making the “compassionate argument” may unintentionally undermine transit advocates’ case for public transportation.
Additional Show NotesPublic transit faces 'death spiral' without $32bn injection from Congress, by Miranda Bryant
Abby Kinney (Twitter)
Charles Marohn (Twitter)
Gould Evans Studio for City Design
Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom (Soundcloud)
Some recent Strong Towns articles on public transit
“The Only Thing More Expensive Than Saving Transit is Not Saving Transit,” by Daniel Herriges
“In Transportation Costs, ‘It's the System, Stupid,’” by Daniel Herriges
“What the Left Gets Wrong about Public Transportation” (Podcast)
“Transit’s Chicken & Egg Fallacy,” by Chuck Marohn
“Why Development-Oriented Transit is better than Transit-Oriented Development,” by Rachel Quednau
Meat Suit Cities: Reconciling Aesthetics with Progress
Housing is About Capital Flow, and Always Has Been
Has Infrastructure Become the "Ultimate Partisan Battleground"?
Does Subsidizing Electric Vehicles Promote Car Dependency?
How People-Centered Is Toronto's "People-Centered" Vision?
"If you have a property in the city, you should not leave it empty."
How a Small California Town is Charting Its Own Course to Energy Resilience
How Christchurch, New Zealand became a lesson in how NOT to rebuild after a disaster
When (If Ever) Should States Preempt Cities?
A Game-Changer for Economic Development in Arizona
Does Increasing Available Housing Cause Gentrification?
What Can We Hope For from a Mayor Pete D.O.T.?
Parking's "Free Ride" Is a Financial Disaster for Cities
Public Housing and the Housing Crisis
The Problem with Creating “Slow Streets” Too Fast
"Will Cities Survive 2020?"
For Teens, No Room in the Pandemic City
Will Wyoming Have to Start "Abandoning" Its Small Towns?
COVID-19 and the Boom in Multigenerational Housing
Winds of Change in Kansas City
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Social Dallas Podcast
Change Church Podcast
The Community Effect: A NeighborWorks America Podcast
Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications
Digital Islamic Reminder