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CITIZENS' AGENDA
: GOAL 2 |
Promoting
social equity and livable communities
“The transportation system should be socially equitable and strengthen
civil rights enabling all people to gain access to good jobs, education and training,
and needed services. Where possible, personal transportation expenses should
be minimized in ways that support wealth creation. Transportation should enhance
the quality, livability and character of communities and support revitalization
without displacement. The transportation system should allow every American to
participate fully in society, whether or not they own a car and regardless of
age, ability, ethnicity or income.” (1)
1.
The Alliance for a New Transportation Charter is a project of the
Surface Transportation Policy Project in Washington D.C.
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| What this means is:
Improving transit, bicycling, and walking is less
expensive than adding highway lanes and building parking ramps.
A study prepared
for the Minnesota Department of Transportation estimated that it
would require a 70% expansion of the highway system in the Twin Cities
region to make it “free flowing” by 2020 (2).
2. Building Our Way Out of Congestion, Gary. A. Davis, University
of Minnesota, Department of Civil Engineering for Minnesota Department
of Transportation, October 2001.
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• Access
for everyone.
The young, the elderly, those who can’t or don’t drive have
safe and convenient access to employment, training, health care, recreation
and other
needed services.
• Saving
money.
Expanded transit service allows families to use a transit pass
combined with more bicycling, walking, and use of taxis in place
of a second
or third car. They use the money they save to buy or improve a
home, pay for education or to allow retirement. • Community preservation and livability.
Local streets are designed to balance the needs of all users, including
drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. Traffic impacts,
such as noise pollution and auto emissions, are reduced, increasing livability
and property values.
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