![]() Carmageddon is a personal luxury at societal cost, when we can least afford it.Ī recent Council of Governments survey points to a different future, one also called for by advocates, civic leaders and business groups: a strong desire for leaders to take this opportunity to lean into important local and regional investments around bus lanes, protected bike lanes and expanded sidewalks. Given uneven vaccine uptake, Black and Brown communities may be at higher risk of not just COVID-19 but wider disparities in chronic conditions for some time. Poor air quality is associated with health conditions known to exacerbate COVID-19 and other health risks like asthma, which are more prevalent in communities of color. The economic benefits of creating more spaces for walking, cycling and transit are a key reason why business leaders often support policies that address the needs of transit users, cyclists and pedestrians, such as London’s congestion charge.Ī glut of cars would result in consequences beyond economy-stifling congestion. For this reason, DC’s investments in bus lanes, including the start of construction this week on the long-planned and longest bus lanes on 16th St, make a lot of sense to expand upon. Furthermore, for businesses to come back they need workers, and workers often rely on transit. (If the thought of cars choking up our public space in the long term gives you nightmares too, take a look at DDOT’s MoveDC survey.)Ī panoply of studies show that people using bikes, transit or walking to reach business destinations generate more business when they get there. If we’re serious about building back a DC that values equity, we can’t afford to let the recovery be driven by those of us who can afford to drive. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) have leaned into these innovations during the emergency period, and business leaders say they’ve proven their value.īut what if concerns around safety – whether from COVID-19 or from being a cyclist or pedestrian at the whim of unsafe drivers who have only increased in the past year – changes the personal risk calculation for enough people that single-occupancy vehicles seem like the only safe choice…for those able to choose?Ĭarmageddon, in which those who can overwhelmingly choose to drive instead of taking sustainable modes, could choke the region’s economic recovery, and exacerbate health inequalities and environmental issues. More drivers also need more places to park space better used for the pickup-dropoff zones (PUDOs), streateries, and outdoor retail that have been essential to the survival of local businesses and will likely be for some time, along with expanded sidewalks needed for safe social distancing. It also takes away space we need for freight and other deliveries to reach businesses, and avoid losing valuable time and polluting the air while stuck in traffic. This is likely down to some hard-to-parse mix of COVID-19 risk avoidance and uncertainty over Metro service levels, along with time freed up by home-based work.īut roads filled with cars means they need space space better used for dedicated lanes to ensure that traveling by bus and bicycle is a safe, efficient choice for residents, workers, and students. ![]() Policymakers and transportation authorities have tools at their disposal to ensure that transit, bike, and sidewalks meet people’s evolving needs.Ī lot of travelers project a preference for single-occupancy vehicles and working from home over transit once restrictions are lifted, with many also predicting or hoping to work from home at least part-time. ![]() ![]() No driving deity will whip away people’s Metro cards and hand them a set of car keys. Whether folks take transit, walk, roll, drive, take ride hailing services, or just don’t return physically to the same places they used to is closely tied with equity, livability, environmental quality and economic growth.īut it’s not a force majeure that our future mobility will be car-based, even in the short term. It’s an important question for the future of the region. But how are we going to reach those places? When we inhale the autumn air this year, will it smell of pumpkin spice, fresh pencil shavings, and wood-burning fires, or the fumes from car tailpipes? Despite the unclear threat from COVID-19 variants, thanks to this year’s vaccine roll-out most of us expect a gradual return to on-site work and schooling. Georgia Avenue bus lanes by BeyondDC licensed under Creative Commons. ![]()
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