Even those who must rely primarily on automobile travel because of the location of work or home have an interest in expanding transportation options. Every person on a bus, bike, or sidewalk means one less car on the road. As with many public policies, the tale is in the dollars and the priorities. The Draft TransPlan has some good ideas, but too few dollars and not enough commitment to make these effective. TransPlan proposes a significant increase in bike lanes, but most of these will be on congested streets and some lanes would remove on-street parking.
Bicyclists concerned with safety, noise and exhaust avoid such lanes.
We need more funding for bicycle routes that provide rapid and safe travel away from cars. We need to make it more attractive for people to ride the bus. Free bus service at peak hours and in downtown areas, a system of neighborhood shuttle buses to serve local destinations, and free bus passes for low-income residents are ideas worth considering. A more equitable solution is for those who use the roads most heavily to pay a larger share for their upkeep. For example, a regional tax on parking spaces would be one solution for funding road maintenance, as the use of parking is directly proportional to the use of roadways.