If Utah drivers want less congestion, they should support free public transit. Yes, really.
Small Lake City
By Bryan Young @swankmotron
I want to talk to all of you automobile enthusiasts out there. I know you want to get to where you're going as fast as is humanly possible, and you don't care one whit for any other modes of transportation.
You hate pedestrians walking in front of you in a crosswalk. You want to gas it through school zones with abandon. Let's not even start on cyclists.
I get it. You've got places to be and you have main character syndrome.
And faced with congestion, you might want the freeway widened to the point where you can go 90 miles an hour from Orem to Ogden without having to tap the brakes once. But can I let you in on a secret?
It won't work. It'll never work.
Sure, it might work for a minute after the construction traffic subsides. More people will be on the road because that's the infrastructure we've built, and it's the only way to get around. But we'll soon have the same congestion problem all over again—and all the while the air gets worse and worse.
Might I suggest an alternative? Public transportation. Make it free and make it bigger and better. Double-track FrontRunner. Expand the UTA system. And yes, make it free for everyone.
I can hear you now. "Nothing's free!" True—including that highway expansion you want so badly. It's just that everyone will benefit from a free UTA system. Including you.
"You won't catch me dead on a train!" you say? I get it. That's fine, cool even. Maybe we don't want you on the train with the rest of us.
But here's the thing ... other people will use the train, more than those who can use it now. And that means their cars aren't on the road, getting in your way. We'll cut down drastically on all of that poison in the air, too.
People tend to use the infrastructure that's built for them. If you build more roads without investing in public transportation, all you're going to get is more congestion. If we stop widening the roads and make public transit easier, there's bound to be more people choosing the better alternative as often as they can so you don't have to.
It's all about freedom, right? Freedom of choice? And it's all about what's cheaper, right?
Nothing's free, as so many are fond of saying. So, why not save some money by investing more in public transportation—which is better in almost every quantifiable way for the majority of Utahns—instead of just building more lanes for congestion and pollution?
It makes sense, saves you money, and benefits you—even those of you who will never abandon driving. So, stop demanding more freeway lanes and start demanding more efficient rail and bus service throughout the valley. Make it free for everyone. We'll all start to see the long-term benefits almost immediately.
I promise.
Small Lake City is home to local writers and their opinions.
More by Bryan Young
-
Witches in popular culture
Agatha All Along reminds us that we need more stories of powerful, magical women
- Oct 9, 2024
-
The case against banning Craig Thompson's Blankets
Contrary to Ken Ivory's assertions, this masterpiece belongs in Utah schools
- Sep 4, 2024
-
Big Shiny Robot: A plea for media literacy
Calling for sanity when it comes to approaching creative work in good faith
- Jul 31, 2024
- More »
Latest in News
Readers also liked…
-
Raise a glass for E.L.T Harrison, architect of the Beerhive building on Main
Small Lake City
- Oct 11, 2023
