CONNECTIONS

A Guide to Public Transportation in the Metro-Harrisburg Region and Beyond

8. WHY TRANSIT?

TCRPC Home

CONNECTIONS Home

  1. Introduction

  2. Connections

  3. Capital Area Transit

  4. Paratransit/Handicap

  5. Reg/Ntl Pub Transit

  6. PA Public Transit

  7. Other Options

  8. Why Transit?

  9. Glossary

  10. Acronyms & Abrev.

  11. Appendix

Table of Contents

 

Our Transportation Troubles

Extreme dependence on automobiles is a serious drain on the economy of Pennsylvania families, businesses, and government.  The average family in PA spends 10.75% of its total income on auto-related transportation expenses.  This is a higher percentage than what is spent on food, health, or education.  Money spent on gasoline increases yearly due to the importance and dependency on the automobile.

 

Automobile Driving Costs versus Transit Service

2005 saw a significant rise in the cost of gasoline around the nation, soaring to around $3.00 in the late summer months.  2006 saw lower gasoline prices around $2.10 - $2.50 a gallon, but still significantly higher than pre-2005 price levels.  Most predictions do not foresee any significant reductions in the price of gasoline, and higher prices in the future are anticipated.  One of the main driving forces for the price of oil is the demand for gas.  By riding more public transportation, not only are individual costs reduced, but demand upon our oil supply is also reduced.

 Suppose a commuter drives to work in Downtown Harrisburg from Middletown each day (roughly 20 miles to town and back each day) and works an average of 22 days per month in a vehicle averaging 25 miles to the gallon.  Based on an average of $2.50 per gallon, just the daily driving alone will cost around $5,300 a year.  Then add $1,200 for a monthly parking stall downtown (a monthly City Island Parking pass would be $600) leaving the commuter with over $6500 in expenses a year for their commute.  If the same commuter was to take the bus to work each day his or her annual commuting costs could be cut down to less than $1,000 or $600 if a monthly fare pass is purchased each month.  That works out to a savings of over $5,500 a year (note that some costs such as insurance, are not included in bus cost calculation, if person owns car but does not use to travel to work).

 The chart illustrates the savings that can be made by using transit.  The chart looks at commuter costs if you commute from Lower Paxton (5 miles from downtown), Middletown (10 miles from downtown), and Carlisle (20 miles from downtown) based working an average of 22 days per month and a vehicle that averages around 25 miles to the gallon. 

 

*cost calculations for auto includes insurance, depreciation, and average interest payments on loans

 

offers still more incentives to ride transit.  An employer who participates in the program and provides employees with a $15 TransitChek each month, provides the employee with another $180 towards the purchase of any monthly pass or 15 or 25 ride card.   PA State Employees were recently provided the opportunity to purchase monthly passes for transit through a payroll deduction program.  Funds spent on the purchase of TransitChek's are pretax savings.

In addition, to save parking costs, transit service is available from Park ‘N Rides throughout the region.  All Park ‘N Ride locations, with the exception of City Island, are FREE!

The cost savings of using transit with the minimal automobile operating costs and the maximum transit costs equal over $3,000 per year, which would be a nice bonus these days in anyone’s pocket.

 

Land Use and Transportation

Dispersed development, more familiarly called sprawl, is a major obstacle in reducing the congestion.  Currently, the municipal approval of low-density housing developments leads to a large number of residents who must drive their automobiles.  Because of poor land use planning, these vehicle trips are generally made as single occupant trips. 

These types of trips put a heavy burden on our highway network.  Better land use planning linked with transportation planning is the answer.  Together these practices use alternative methods to design more livable communities.  Some of the methods being considered are; Transit Oriented Developments (TOD), Higher Density Developments and Mixed Use Developments.

 

Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

Transit Oriented Development looks to focus growth around transit centers rather than maintaining the continued outward growth beyond the city center.  The main idea of TOD is that rather than providing large sprawling parking lots around transit stations, the area would be better served by close knit housing with 1st floor commercial providers that cater to the daily needs of residents, such as day care, grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware, and other useful services.  Generally, pedestrian traffic is given priority over vehicles, with ample sidewalks and open spaces provided.  TOD also looks to make the train station and surrounding areas a distinctive look that provides an intangible unique “character” to the area.

 CORRIDORone officials are currently working with a developer who specializes in TOD development, looking at the station sites that currently exist between Lancaster and Harrisburg.  Ways are being examined to not only promote transit development, but to provide adequate parking areas for those people currently living in the outlaying areas.

  

Air Pollution

Over the past number of years, In summer months, the Harrisburg area has experienced dangerous, ground level ozone air pollution (smog).  The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) has classified the Harrisburg area as a “non-attainment” category, based on the USEPA one-hour standard for ozone.

 Those people who work or spend and excessive amount of time outdoors may experience a more severe form of these symptoms as well as chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and lung inflammation.  Ozone pollution has also been linked to lung cancer, permanent respiratory system damage in children and chronic lung diseases.

 The American Lung Association estimates air pollution from motor vehicles causes 120,000 unnecessary or premature deaths each year nationally and $45 billion in health care costs.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates that motor vehicles are responsible for more than half the cancer caused by toxic air pollution.

The US EPA requires communities in non-attainment areas to come up with a plan to bring the area in compliance.  Of the many projects underway to improve air quality, the use of transit to get people from their single-occupant vehicles into carpooling and public transit is one of the major goals.

 

Everyone Can Help

A cleaner, more efficient and economical transportation system is something everyone wants.  This goal must be met with an open mind, commitment, and perseverance.  The success depends upon the active involvement of concerned citizens and community groups.  Everyone must work together to design a better transportation system.  There are many things everyone can do, such as:

  1. Get Involved in the Transportation Planning Process: Transportation planning in the Harrisburg area is conducted through HATS.  The HATS meetings and hearings are open to the public and are televised via CRATV.  Public participation is encouraged and appreciated throughout the planning process.  Citizens are encouraged to take part in whichever way suits them best.

    1. Public Involvement and Outreach: Before HATS implements any new Transportation plan, it must be presented to the public for their review and input.  To provide better information, TCRPC staff members hold public meetings where citizens can find out how public monies are being spent on transportation and transit projects.  TCRPC will occasionally set up an information booth at Strawberry Square to provide more information on HATS projects.  TCRPC is continually looking for new ways to connect with the public.  In recent years, an effort has been made to advertise these public events in the languages of the predominate minority populations within the HATS region.  Currently, the languages we have translation work done for are Arabic, Bosnian, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.  Translation services are provided through the Harrisburg International Service Center (717-236-1523).  For those people wishing to participate but are in need of translation services, HATS will work with the Service Center to provide translation assistance.

    2. Join Your Municipality’s Planning Efforts: Most municipalities in Pennsylvania adopt a comprehensive plan directing future growth and decision-making.  To support better transportation planning, comprehensive plans should designate appropriate locations for other transportation opportunities including, transit facilities and encourage higher densities as well as easier pedestrian access.  Citizens are encouraged to contact their respective municipality and take and active role in helping to develop these concepts in the comprehensive plan.

  2. Influence the Process: Everyone must do their part to improve regional transit options.

    1. Employers:

      1. Adding Bus Service: Downtown employers often find it difficult to provide parking for their employee’s and in other areas, large parking lots are not only costly to maintain, but add to the pollution of our waterways and limit the amount of rainfall that can percolate back into the groundwater systems.  By working with CAT and other transportation providers, bus routes can be added or modified that will stop at major employer locations.

      2. Promotion of Transportation Alternatives: Human Resource offices can distribute flyers, insert info into paycheck stubs, and write articles for newsletters informing employees of the various transit options available.  TCRPC is willing to work with any employer on developing these promotional materials.

    2. Employees:

      1. Use Transit: Identify where the closest bus routes and Park & Ride lots are to where you live and ride the bus or join the Car Pool to get to and from work.

      2. Speak Up: If buses are coming by to early or late, or there are other problems on the bus, let CAT know.  While CAT tries to provide the best service possible, sometimes things are missed, and they need your input to continually improve service.  In addition, if you think there are ways to improve service, CAT and TCRPC are always looking for input on how to improve service.

    3. Educators:

      1. Transportation Issues: Most people realize that continually growing communities’ outward creates some difficult problems.  The congestion of daily commuters continues to increase as people spread outward.  Neighborhoods must deal with increased noise and light pollution from the increasing numbers of cars and trucks traversing our road systems.  New ways must be found to limit the amount of harmful emissions produced by the vehicles we travel in.  These are just a few of the issues that all of us face.  Educators should discuss these issues in their classes and let the students come up with ideas on how to address these issues.

      2. Riding Transit: The best way to increase transit ridership is to get people use to riding it.  While it is our goal to increase ridership for all ages, the reality is that many people have grown up on the use of cars, and it is very difficult to modify those habits, once learned.  If the kids, however, learn how to use transit as they grow up, not only will they be more likely to use transit when they are adults, but will be more willing to use public transit in other cities that they visit.  The new SciTech High School in Downtown Harrisburg is a great example, as the school system has provided city bus passes for all its students, and CAT has put on training seminars for the students before the fall semester started, to familiarize them with riding transit.

    4. Transit and Government Agencies:

      1. Always look at how transit is involved in any project.  If you are looking to redevelop an area, how can transit help to improve the project?  Area there areas that are growing rapidly?  Contact CAT or other bus providers and let them know of new markets.  How can transit be improved in low-income neighborhoods?  Human Services agencies and Transit agencies can work together to promote transit services.

    5. Others:

      1. Developers: Look beyond the typical development styles and get involved with projects that promote transit use.  Bid on TOD projects near transit stations.  Identify locations near and inside developments that would be good for bus stops.  Create bike and pedestrian pathways through developments that promote transportation options beyond the automobile.

      2. Community Organizations:  Work with Municipalities, CAT, and HATS to improve community transportation links.  Let them know where people are being underserved and if new proposed transportation projects will be helpful or harmful to the community.

      3. Retail and Service Businesses:  If your business is on a route, ask CAT to locate a bus stop near your business.  Let your customers know how they can get to your place of business via transit.  Provide bike racks and lockers, and sidewalks for bike and pedestrian traffic.  If you have a large parking lot, offer those extra spots in the back lots as official Park and Ride sites.

  3. Everyone Can Promote Transportation Alternatives

    1. Transportation alternatives are only good if someone is using them.  Instead of getting into that car every day to go to work, think of the alternatives.  Take the bus or join the car pool.  Ride your bike or walk to the Park and Ride or directly to work.  There may be some days that you may need your car for other projects, which is fine, but on the other days stick to transit.  Tell your friends how easy it is to ride transit.  Roadway congestion is not going away and forecasts are that congestion will continue to worsen throughout the entire Harrisburg Region.  Improving and expanding transit services will not eliminate the congestion problem, but they will go a long way in keeping it under control.  It is up to everyone to do their part in making transit options better.

 

 

 

[TCRPC Home] [CONNECTIONS Home]

[1. Introduction]  [2. Connections]  [3. Capital Area Transit]  [4. Paratransit/Handicap]  [5. Reg/Ntl Pub Transit]  [6. PA Public Transit]  [7. Other Options]  [8. Why Transit?]  [9. Glossary]  [10. Acronyms & Abrev.]  [11. Appendix]
 
 
Last Updated: 11/05/2007