Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

More Transit Service Is Great, But It’s Not Enough on Its Own

expressgas
If your built environment looks like this, more transit service will only go so far. Photo: Nicholas Eckhardt/Flickr
false

A new report commissioned by Ohio DOT recommends that the state should double its funding for transit. At Notes from the Underground, Jason Segedy welcomes this  development, but he also notes that in many places, simply expanding transit funding won't be enough, on its own, to make transit appealing. Places like Ohio need to complement additional transit spending with a new approach to development and planning, he writes:

We have to think about how to increase overall public transit demand -- and that’s mostly an urban development, land use, and urban design issue, not a transportation issue.

It is neither wise nor effective to blindly increase the supply of transit service, by spending more money on it, and expect that action alone to translate into higher ridership.

We need to think about demand -- what is it now, what will it be in the future, and most significantly -- what could it be in the future?

Transit service itself is only part of the demand equation. Demand is affected heavily by how much we are spending on other transportation alternatives (expansion of highways, provision of free or under-priced parking) and how we are designing our urban environments (e.g. Are they easy or pleasant to walk or bike in? Are residential and commercial uses in close enough proximity to one another to make transit convenient and effective?)

If we simply spend more money on transit and expect that to change demand, without spending less money on highway expansion, or without addressing our sprawling development patterns, we are fooling ourselves.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Washington Bikes shares a new analysis finding cycling brings a cool $3.1 billion in consumer spending to the state annually. And BikeWalkLee reports that Cape Coral, Florida, now has 90-miles of interconnected bike routes.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: You Should Care That Your Car Is Spying On You

Yes, every device we own is probably harvesting our data. But the car might be the worst offender.

September 26, 2025

The State of Friday’s Headlines

Transit agencies from Rhode Island to San Francisco are facing budget shortfalls as a variety of factors create a perfect storm.

September 26, 2025

Revitalizing Cities With Small-Scale Manufacturing

One Rust Belt city is pursuing an innovative strategy to attract economic development and enhance urban livability.

September 26, 2025

The Real Reason the Far Right is Demanding Action on Transportation Violence

A series of brutal deaths on U.S. roads and trains is sparking outrage on the far right – and a push for some disturbing policy solutions that will only make our country more violent.

September 25, 2025

Everyone to Congress: Stand Up and Fight for the Infrastructure Funding You Allocated (And Your Constituents Need)

"The president has made it clear that programs outside the administration’s narrow vision for transportation will not be faithfully implemented," advocates said this week — and it's time for congress to stand up and defend their will.

September 25, 2025
See all posts