How, in our spacious metropolitan areas, can rail transit work? Why do we need it? There is a seven-point explanation:
Metropolitan areas are where a majority of Americans live, and that share is growing. They are the centers of the economy—increasingly important as the economy becomes global.
Transportation in these metropolitan areas is in trouble. The Federal government estimated that urban highway congestion cost the U.S. 1.4 billion gallons of gas and travelers over $9 billion in time and other costs in 1988. Congestion not only plagues city centers: it is driving business farther and farther out, from suburbs to exurbs, further aggravating congestion on our roadways.
Because jobs are scattered and housing spread out, it is difficult for people to ride to work together--so the average number in each car, already close to one, continues to drop.
One essential means of encouraging people to ride together is to cluster a larger share of offices, shopping and residential development around high-capacity public transportation stops so more people go to and from the same place and can travel together.
Rail transit can achieve such clusters because it represents to developers and employers, an investment in fixed facilities that will be in place for the long term.
When well-planned rail service is used to concentrate housing, jobs and services around its stations, it attracts people from their automobiles. Furthermore, the increase in density decreases auto use not just to work but for all travel.
Only rail transit can efficiently serve the centers of our large urban areas and maintain their human character and attractive environment.