Projects › Improving local transit Improving local transit In
our automobile culture, transit gets little respect, but it's a
vital part of a healthy, sustainable city. In Northeast Ohio,
cities haven't come close to realizing the promise of transit -
especially at a time of rising gasoline costs when people need
affordable transportation choices. In 2012, focus groups on
transportation led by Natural Resources Defense Council, 70
ordinary Clevelanders across the political spectrum expressed
frustration with being ‘stuck’ with one choice—of commute time
or using anything but a car. Respondents included Republican
women and Democratic men with no self-described bike advocates.
Universally they said public transit, if it was convenient,
would be a welcome addition to their community. They were
‘shocked’, NRDC said, when they found out that Ohio spends only
1% of its transportation budget on transit. They assumed the
state invested at least 10-15% on transit. Well-designed density
leads to ‘vibrant’ communities