Why St. Louis Needs Public Transportation

 

As I have read all the stories about Metro in the newspaper and even CNN, I think there is but one logical conclusion.    We need a viable public transit system across the St. Louis region.

I understand that there are many reasons that Metro has to make drastic cuts of bus routes and MetroLink.  Nobody is questioning that Metro is having budget issues, especially given the Federal Transit Administration’s rejection of the federal congestion funds. There is a lot of blame to go around for why there is a budget shortfall.   There are people who blame Metro for management failures and others who blame the voters who rejected Prop M.  Regardless of who is to blame, the simple reality is that in order for the region to compete with the rest of the country and continue to prosper, St. Louis needs a comprehensive light rail and bus system.  The St. Louis Metropolitan area cannot meet the significant challenges of the future with a mindset clouded by invisible boundaries.

 This issue isn’t simply about cutting the number of bus routes or how many trips MetroLink makes, this is about people.  This is about people being able to keep their job during a time when employment is more difficult to find than ever.  This is about the many people that rely on public transportation to take a child to the doctor, visit family members, go to the grocery store, visit regional sites or attend a Cardinals’ game.  The very basic things that many take for granted will be directly impacted by fewer options.

As fuel costs begin their inevitable upward movement again, the people who, when fuel prices went up, turned to public transportation will no longer have that option. The reduction of transportation options in this economy will increase pressure on families to make ends meet.  Many people are struggling daily and have to make hard choices with no good answers.  We as a region must make it a priority that no one has to choose between getting to work and putting food on the table.     

St. Louis needs to decide what direction this region should go in the future.  We can continue the path we have taken for the past fifty years and build more roads and increase dependence on automobiles or we can embrace the trend of other cities and offer alternative transportation options.   I truly believe that public transportation is essential in our urban area and will largely dictate the future of our region. It is not enough for a few to advocate for this issue.  We all must make a dedicated effort to finding solutions and working together not just for today, but for our region’s future.

Lewis E. Reed

Posted by The Core Editor on Mar 29 2009. Filed under Environment, Government, People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.