Daniel Convissor's Website

Push / Pull: The Way to Improve Mass Transit

Newsgroups: misc.transport.urban-transit
Subject: Reduce Road Capacity + Increase Transit = Success
Date: 31 Jul 1994 12:20:50 -0400

ertrinid@phakt.usc.edu (Elson R. Trinidad) writes:

> danielc@panix.com (Daniel Convissor) writes:

>> LA's new transit system can do even better if some highway lanes are 
>> removed.

>> Well, I don't know about that. I don't believe in the "rail replacing car"
>> theory, but I do believe in balanced transportation. I think people can 
>> still own and drive cars, but should be discouraged from driving them during
>> rush hours. Transit is for commuting, the car is for lanes forgoing to 
>> the beach. HOV, not widening the entire freeway for that purpose.

> Of course, I also think transit should reach important tourist/activity
> centers as well.

> As for removing highway lanes, I'm all for replacing lanes for HOV
Cars should be discouraged from driving at ALL times. Transit should be built to serve ALL kinds of trips at ALL times of the day. I'm NOT saying there should be no driving, but driving should be people's last option, not first.

A good transportation/land use system has low per-capita Vehicle Miles Traveled. That means walking, bicycling and transit are the first three choices of transport, in preferential order. Then, if someone can't be accommodated by those means, they have the option of using a car. The only way to create this essential change out of today's autocentric areas is by the "Push/Pull" method.

Just building more transit won't lure enough people. Hitting people over the head for driving without giving them other options is obnoxious and ineffective. We need to PUSH people off the roads and out of the parking lots and PULL them onto greatly improved transit. From my research, this is the only way to successfully change the way things are.

 


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