Swan Dive
Transit Talk
RECEIVED Tue., July 31, 2018
Dear Editor,
I wholeheartedly agree with Michael King's comment, "I also wish there were a local political consensus to create and pay for a substantial mass transit system …" [“Point Austin: Loaded Dice,” News, July 27]; but we need leadership from the City Council, and that has been sorely lacking. Mayor Adler should be taking the lead, but his 2016 bond measure did nothing for transit. Now Adler says that the state Legislature should allow for more transit funding, but he has not said how he plans to accomplish that. In 2014, then-Council Member Laura Morrison and candidate Adler both supported the poorly designed rail bond measure that was opposed by many transit advocates and soundly defeated by the voters.
Council is discussing, as part of CodeNEXT, the need to increase density along the corridors to support transit, and that is part of the solution, but we need density not only along the corridors. We also have to take road space from cars to prioritize transit, and Council has not had the courage to discuss that.
Transit is important not only for climate change, but to help with congestion, affordability, access to jobs, and air pollution. If you care about transit, ask the City Council candidates what they will do to support it and hold them accountable.
I wholeheartedly agree with Michael King's comment, "I also wish there were a local political consensus to create and pay for a substantial mass transit system …" [“Point Austin: Loaded Dice,” News, July 27]; but we need leadership from the City Council, and that has been sorely lacking. Mayor Adler should be taking the lead, but his 2016 bond measure did nothing for transit. Now Adler says that the state Legislature should allow for more transit funding, but he has not said how he plans to accomplish that. In 2014, then-Council Member Laura Morrison and candidate Adler both supported the poorly designed rail bond measure that was opposed by many transit advocates and soundly defeated by the voters.
Council is discussing, as part of CodeNEXT, the need to increase density along the corridors to support transit, and that is part of the solution, but we need density not only along the corridors. We also have to take road space from cars to prioritize transit, and Council has not had the courage to discuss that.
Transit is important not only for climate change, but to help with congestion, affordability, access to jobs, and air pollution. If you care about transit, ask the City Council candidates what they will do to support it and hold them accountable.
Susan Pantell
