I’ve weighed in on the transit situation on more than one occasion. There have been the discussions on it’s impact on traffic, pollution, land-use and so forth. I’ve been thinking about it again, wishing I could effectively get to and from work using public transit, especially with the weather conditions of the past couple days. Again, when I had to fill the gas tank last night.
A city such as Columbus (and many cities just like Columbus) are going to have a difficult time attracting and retaining population if adequate public transportation is not funded and built. The two largest segments of the US population will find automobile ownership more and more economically difficult, and may find, should Columbus continue to drag its feet in building a viable transit system, that other cities are a better place to hang their hat.
Seniors, who increasingly rely upon fixed incomes and failing pension plans will find that automobile ownership is too costly. Young professionals and the “arts” crowd, who are now faced with dozens of jobs within a life time, will likely feel that spending upwards of 25% of their income on transportation is too big of a price to pay to settle in Columbus.
The fact of the matter is, for the majority of people, owning a car is the price of admission to living in Columbus. Imagine hearing your realtor say this:
“The down-payment on your home will be $22,000. Your monthly mortgage payment will be $1,200. Heating and cooling costs are estimated at $110 per month, and you’ll need an initial $20,000 investment in transportation, plus an additional monthly payment of $200-400 for upkeep for that transportation”.
That’s roughly the difference between a $220,000 home and a $340,000 home. In other words, if you can’t afford a $340,000 home, there’s won’t be much of a future for you here.
Now, imagine your realtor telling you this:
“The down-payment on your home will be $22,000. Your monthly mortgage payment will be $1,200. Heating and cooling costs are estimated at $110 per month. Your transportation costs here will be $50 per month for an all-you-can-ride transit pass”.
These are also the kind of discussion that takes place in boardrooms, as companies look to relocate their offices and their employees.
Which conversation would you rather have?
great point. it’s typical to hear ppl talk about the advantage of the “low cost” of columbus living compared to other cities. But when you factor in your points, Cbus loses a big chunk of that advantage.
Excellent points as always Jeff. I think the “realtor” conversation is more valid than many people make it out to be. When I lived in Chicago one of the big selling points for the house I purchased was that it was close to both the Metra and an El line as well as bus routes. In many cities these things are used as a very useful way to increase property values.
I think something that would encourage transit would be for the city to encourage collaberation, working together and being more encaged with the community. Much the way WOSU is enganging all of us. When you feel more connected to your city you are more likely to utilize the services that bring people together, such as public transit.
Good post! I agree, with one addition about seniors…
Some seniors will be able to afford cars, but will be unable to safely drive. They will have to resort to rides from others, or some sort of public transit. Public transit helps them keep their independence, not too mention that many of them don’t live near good friends or family willing to take them on a trip every day.