I’ve really been struggling this week about what and if I should say anything about the crisis in the auto industry right now.  I have several friends with jobs in this industry and I know whatever happens, there will be devistating effects for this state.

So instead of mapping out what gloom and doom lies ahead for Michigan, I’ll try to point out perhaps just a little bright spot.

And hey, as Monty Python sing in The Life of Brian: “Always look on the bright side of life.” Right?

So here’s the bright spot that I am seeing.  Oddly enough, it has to do with sustainable transportation.

I just finished reading a letter President-Elect Barack Obama recently wrote to Transportation for America.

In that letter, Pres-Elect Obama speaks directly to the need for us to repair our aging infrastructure (roads, bridges, and transit system), invest in green technology, and support the creation of high speed rail in this country.

Granted, it appears he wrote this letter before the extent of the economic crisis became apparent.  But still, there is some opportuntity in all of this ickiness.

In his letter, Obama says “Everyone benefits if we can leave our cars, walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives.”

What I think he is alluding to is something I’ve thought a lot about lately.  And that is that are lots of ways we can get around (not to mention getDowntown).  And all of them present an opportunity for job growth, a new green economy, and other environmental, health, and economic benefits.

Just as it’s important to have diversity in our communities and in the ecosystem, it’s important to have diversity in our transportation system.  And we all can benefit from using the type of transportation that is best for what we want to do.

Recently, I spoke to someone who divided transportation into two sectors: Private transportation (such as bikes, cars, Zipcars, and of course, our own two feet) and Public transportation (such as planes, trains, taxis and buses).  As a society that tends towards individualism, it makes sense that we will continue to embrace more private forms of transportation.  And there’s a lot of opportunity in the future to innovate and create even better forms of private transportation that are green, healthy, and good for our communities.

At the same time, I am seeing more and more young people and people in high-tech industries embracing more public forms of transportation.  Seeing the BTB Party bus, getmedowntown and UM students using the LINK and other AATA buses in our community point to this trend.

So as we move forward into a new Presidental Adminstration, and as we continue to address the changing landscape of the transportation industry, I hope we can see the opportunity admist the fear.  Because whatever happens, we will need to keep moving.  And if we can invent something as ingenious as a car, surely we can invent the sustainable transportation of the future.

Ahh . . . how I miss Calvin and Hobbs

Check out this great old-time film from 1968 about the benefits of public transportation.

You’ll find out that many people need public transportation, including the Taffy Puller, the Lighthouse Keeper, and the Taxidermist.

I never thought I’d be a transportaton geek, but I guess at this point I am.  So today as I was checking my Google Alerts for Mass Transportation, I came across this advocacy organization that is trying to promote national policies that support public transportation.

It’s called Transportation for America.

Here’s the platform at T4A:

The cost of just running day to day errands or getting to work, let alone taking that family vacation, just keeps getting worse. We pay for it every day in dollars at the pump and hours lost sitting on congested, crumbling roads. We need a bold agenda to fix our roads and bridges; build high speed trains; invest in public transit, streets safe for biking and walking, and green innovation.

There is a desperate lack of real alternatives for American families because our transportation system is half a century behind—but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Join us in calling on our nation’s leaders to commit to building a 21st Century transportation system.

One of the cool things T4A does it list all of the current public transportation related headlines around the country. Happy reading!

If you haven’t heard, a book came out on January that details the ways bike enthusiasts are creating a movement towards a more bike-friendly America.

It’s called Pedal Power: The Quiet Rise of the Bicycle in American Life

The AADL has it. But you’ll have to wait in line to get it.

Frank Schwede of Ride Around Town (RAT) fame has lot’s of positive stuff to say about Pedal Power and recommends it highly.  Frank says, “Read this book, then ask yourself the question, Why isn’t Ann Arbor at the head of the list of bike friendly communities?  What can we do to catch up?”

What other people are saying about Pedal Power:

“Pedal Power is an uplifting read that tells the stories of people, organizations, and a movement whose time is rapidly approaching. When the aberrations of the automobile age have passed, we will wonder how we ever lost the common humanity, simplicity and love of life embodied in the heroes so delightfully profiled in Harry Wray’s insightful book. Thank you, Harry Wray, for telling the stories of unsung but true American heroes who gently challenge conventional wisdom and eschew cultural norms.”
—Andy Clarke, League of American Bicyclists

“From improving air quality, overcoming social isolation, reducing carbon emissions, improving fitness . . . the bicycle solves more problems than any other technology I know. Harry Wray has the story right and tells it well. Pedal Power is a book for cyclists, moms, dads, policy wonks, and everyone who wants to solve many problems while creating none.”
—David Orr, Oberlin College

“What an original and refreshing book! Wray deftly interweaves his own and others’ experiences as bicycling enthusiasts with insights from political philosophy and American socio-political history to generate a compelling account of what bicycling can mean for America’s future.”
—Elaine B. Sharp, University of Kansas

What would you do with $50 million dollars?  Yesterday, the Mayor of Ann Arbor and other important folks announced Ann Arbor’s proposal for the 2010 Campaign for Active Transportation.

Ann Arbor was selected as one of more than 40 communties across the country that are in the running for $50 of federal funds to increase active transportation.  Active Transportation is defined as walking or biking to work instead of driving a car.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy is the organization that will be trying to get these federal funds as part of the next Transportation Reauthorization bill.  If Rails to Trails can secure the money, prospects look good for Ann Arbor to get a least a little of the goods for active transportation projects.

You can read Ann Arbor’s 2010 case statement here along with the statements of other communities.

Some of the things Ann Arbor would like to do with this money include providing better pedestrian and bike paths around highway entrances into Ann Arbor, creating a more complete bike system, and creating a greenway so that people can get downtown by walking or biking on a dedicated pathway.

getDowntown was one of the partners that helped provide feedback on this case statement.

For those of you wondering if and when we will get the $50 mil, well, that’s kind of up in the air.  But if we do get the money, I’ll be sure to let you know on this blog.

Here’s a hyperlocal blog for you.  It’s called S.O.S. Safety on Seventh

From their blog:

“Join others in our community in standing up for safety on the well traveled sidwalks and cross walks of the Old West Side. SOS’s goals: * Change community attitudes to favor pedestrians and cyclists * Increase walking and other pedestrian activity * Preserve the pedestrian-friendly communities of Ann Arbor * Advance the equitable use of transportation funds * Reduce the risk to pedestrians and cyclists of injury and death.”

For those of you who don’t know, the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) does most of the transportation planning for the county.  They recently put together a Long Range Transportation Plan for 2030.  This coincides nicely with Ann Arbor’s Transportation Plan Update.

In addition to creating the Long Range Plan, WATS now has its own blog.  Here’s what you’ll find on the blog:

This blog will keep you updated on the development of the Long Range Plan and provide you with an opportunity to participate in developing the Plan.

Meeting times and locations along with other transportation related information will be posted. We’ll also work to keep content updated frequently. Click the subscribe button on the right to add our feed or enter your email address in the space provided to receive email updates when we post new information.

The Michigan Municipal League, Detroit Regional Chamber, The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Transit Riders United and others were held a press conference in Lansing today to show their support for House Bill 6114.

The conference was covered by the Free Press, TV 7, TV 10, and several radio stations.

According to their press release HB 6114 “would create geographic ‘transit revitalization investment zones’ around rapid transit stations. As commercial and residential development occurs in the zones, the resulting growth in property tax revenues would be used to fund the operation, maintenance or infrastructure of the transit station and related facilities.”

The press release also has some video footage and some quotes in case you want to check it out.

Sound like something you’d like to support?  You can take action today by calling your State Senator. I did it and it really doesn’t take much time.

I’m excited to see this bill being highlighted by the business community.  Let’s hope something positive will come of it.

Support Public Transit in Michigan?  Call your state legislator to let them know

On Tuesday, September 23 at 11am, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Detroit Regional Chamber, Michigan Municipal League and others will hold a news conference to urge the state Legislature to pass House Bill 6114

House Bill 6114 will spark public and private investment in new public transit systems in Detroit and Grand Rapids. The bill creates zones near transit stations in which future increases in property taxes could be used to finance transit operations and redevelopment.

Show your support for Public Transit

Please call your state legislators starting Tuesday afternoon, starting with the State House first.  The goal is to get the bill passes by the House next week, before the Legislature recesses for the November elections.  A sample telephone script is below.

If you need to know who to call, click on this link: http://capwiz.com/mml/callalert/index.tt?alertid=11948236&type=ST&azip=48864&bzip=5118&show_alert=1

HB 6114

Phone Script for Calling Your State Legislators

Please call your state representative and state senator today and urge them to vote YES on House Bill 6114.

If Your Call is Answered by Voice Mail OR a Person

Please speak slowly and deliver this message:

“Hello, my name is _________ and I live in __________ [town] at _________ [address].

“I am calling to ask state Representative [name]/state Senator [name] to vote yes on House Bill 6114.

· “House Bill 6114 will help put Michigan back to work by creating jobs and attracting billions of dollars in private and public investment.

· “This bill will be Michigan’s first public policy step toward encouraging public transit systems in urban areas across the state. Right now systems are being planned for Grand Rapids and Detroit.

· “Many other states are using public transit as a powerful economic development tool for generating jobs and development.

“Again, I am calling to request Representative [name]/Senator [name] to vote yes on House Bill 6114. Thank you very much.”

Background Information

If you end up in a conversation with one of your legislators or with one of their staff members, here is some detailed information about House Bill 6114 and public transit.

· House Bill 6114 will bring thousands of jobs to Michigan and has the potential to attract billions of dollars in development. Public transit is creating thousands of jobs and generating billions in new infrastructure, retail, residential and commercial investments in communities and states across America – but not in Michigan. Portland, Oregon, Dallas, Texas, Charlotte, North Carolina, St. Louis, Missouri, and Minneapolis, Minnesota are among the many cities that have embraced public transit as a powerful economic development tool.

· Passing House Bill 6114 will be Michigan’s first public policy step toward encouraging a significant expansion of public transit systems in the state. Michigan has largely failed to embrace transit alternatives to driving. House Bill 6114 will spark public and private investment in new public transit systems in Detroit and Grand Rapids. The bill creates zones near transit stations in which future increases in property taxes could be used to finance transit operations and redevelopment.

· The Detroit Regional Chamber, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Municipal League and others support the bill. Some of Michigan’s leading business organizations support the bill because they understand the economic power of public transit. Mayors, city and village councils, and other local leaders from across the state also support the legislation. In addition, organizations that support expanding transit ridership back the bill.

· Expanding public transit will keep young, college-educated people in Michigan. A recent study by CEOs for Cities found that young, college-educated people want to live in cities that offer transportation alternatives to driving a car. They want to live in cities that have bike lanes, streetcars, light rail, buses and more. America’s most prosperous states tend to have populations of young, college-educated residents. Right now, Michigan is not among these states. HB 6114 can help us keep young, college-educated people in Michigan.

· Expanding public transit is good for the environment, reduces wear and tear on Michigan’s roads and bridges, conserves fossil fuels, and saves families money. Public transit systems emit half as much carbon dioxide per mile as automobiles. Public transit relieves traffic congestion and reduces air pollution. It’s also less expensive to travel by public transit, and transportation is the second largest expense in most households.

Again, I am calling to ask Representative [name]/Senator [name] to vote yes on House Bill 6114.

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