Listen closely and youβll hear a common concern echoing in our region. Our transportation needs have changed, and we have to collectively pull in the same direction to fulfill our highest priorities.
The benefits of regional cooperation led to the formation of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and, in 2006, voter passage of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Much has changed in the arena of transportation since then. Federal funding for road maintenance and state funding for transit have been significantly reduced at the same time that local budgets got slammed by the economic downturn. A new generation has also come of age with strong preferences for alternative modes of mobility (bike, walk and transit) and car-sharing options (Zipcars, ride-share apps and carpooling).
I believe our disagreements about transportation investments in our region, whether focused on bus fares or the Broadway corridor widening, speak to at least one central question: Will we base our current transportation decisions on the assumptions made in 2006, or will we recognize the new dynamics of 2015 and wisely craft present-day decisions with an eye toward the future?
Voters should have the opportunity to answer that question in a 2016 or 2017 election offering proposed updates to the RTP. Itβs time for us all to review it and make sure it fulfills our highest priorities.
The public and local leaders have already expressed interest in asking voters to amend the plan to be sure road maintenance can be better funded. Voters should also get a full update on the major road projects underway or completed, and those to consider amending or canceling.
Review of the RTP also will be important as we respond to the wider use of alternative modes of transportation and transit. In particular, I believe itβs time we work together to establish a Regional Transit Authority β one governed by weighted voting to acknowledge Tucsonβs higher level of ridership and investment, and one that gives everyone across the valley access to swift, safe and clean transit service.
As in other metropolitan regions, the authority could integrate and oversee both transit and parking systems. The entity could enable us to reduce overhead and management costs and shape our future bus and streetcar system for better urban and regionwide service. The beginning of that conversation can start in 2015, as the Pima Association of Governments and the city of Tucson bring transit expert Jarrett Walker here to facilitate a regional transit vision and goal-setting process.
While headlines dramatize our short-term debates about transit fares and route adjustments, diverse voices from throughout the region must actively engage in this long-term shaping of our transit system. We can learn from the best systems operating across the country and throughout the world, and make the explicit choices necessary to provide modern, affordable mobility for generations to come.
Over the past decade we have accomplished some great things together in this valley nestled between the Catalina, Tucson, Santa Rita and Rincon mountains. Many of our greatest strides β on everything from water security to public safety to environmental protection β have been achieved cooperatively, as one shared region.
Transit usage protects the air we all breathe, reduces traffic congestion, extends the life of our roads, and puts money back into the pockets of our residents. Public infrastructure also draws exponential investment from the private sector, as demonstrated in downtown Tucson. While the system will never be the mode of choice for everyone, increasing transit ridership does ultimately benefit everyone across our region.
In 2015 letβs seize the opportunity to create an outstanding system that effectively moves people and better connects communities.
