I talked with a family member about the need for increased public transportation in cities, specifically Austin, Texas. I was hoping that the conversation would open up a dialogue about ways we can push for local governments to make changes that will improve people’s lives and help in reducing emissions or work towards solutions that combat climate change. I was concerned about pushback with regards to funding and efficacy of transit in reducing traffic and making an impact on climate change, so I came into the conversation with some case studies and facts that would address these concerns. There was a rough spot when discussing funding options, but I brought up federal subsidies that currently exist, as well as the need to refocus funding towards public resources that will improve the city. Due to the large traffic issue in Austin, it was easier to convince them of the need to look for alternate solutions. In the end, we agreed that public transit was a way that traffic could be reduced in rapidly growing cities.
Proposed transit lines in the Austin, Texas area. Image from https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2019/03/05/austin-plans-to-expand-dedicated-transit-lanes